-NRLF 


R    X 
85 
P3 
BIOS 


B   M    3ET   a3M 


FOIJE  LECTURES 


C    BERKELEY  LIBRAR 


10  MYOPATHY: 


Delivered    in    Ann     Arbor,     M.ichigan, 


ES  LIBRARY 

642-2631 


a 


7  DAYS 


Ou  the  28lh  to  the  aist  ol  December,  18(i8. 


By  A.  B.  PALMER,    A.  M.,  M.  D., 

|jFE3S0R  OK  PATHOLOGY,   PRACTICK   OV   MKDICINF,    AND    UYGIKNE   IN    THK   I'NIVKRS'TY 
Of  MICHIGAN,  I<;X-V1C1-MMU':SII>KNT  Ol''  THK  AMERICAN  MKDICAL  ASSOCIATION, 
UONORAP.Y  MKMBEU  OF  TlIF  SEW  YORK  STATK  MEDICAL  SOCIETY,  &c. 


I'  L^  13 1^  1  y  II  I'i  D    BY    K,  11;  Q  u  K  a  r 


ANN    AUr>OR,  MICH. : 

GILMORE  &  FISKE,  BOOKSELLERf."! 

1860. 


\,  BERKELEY 
20 


FOUR  LECTURES 


HOM(EOFATHY: 


PELIVERED     IN     y*S.NN       ArBOR,       M.ICHIGAI 


Oil  the  2Sl!i  to  the  ol.-st  ol  December,  ISGS. 


By  A.   B.  PALMER,    A.  M.,  M.  D., 

I'llOFESSOR  Ol'  PATHOLOGY,    rUACrlCK    Ol'    Ml^IDIClXi;    AND    IIYGIKNE    IX    THK    I'NIVKRSITY 

01-'  MICHIGAN,  EX-VICK  rKi:SII>K\T  OV  THK  AMKPaCAN  MEDIGAL  ASSOCIATION, 

UONOUAEY  MKXICEU  OF  THE  NEW  YORK  STATE  MEDICAL  SOUIETY,  &c. 


i'Ui3J-.iaiii<:r)  by  kkcjukst . 


ANN    AUBOIl,  MICH, : 

GILMORE  &  FISKE,  BOOKSELLERS.'! 

ISGO. 


«E«KfctE> 

LIBRARY 

UNlVEHSiTYOf 
CAUFOHMA 


v 


Reeouroea  Ubiary 


ya  r^/ 


Dl{.   CHASE'S  STEAM  I'RINTING  HOUSK, 
Nos.  39,  41  &  43  Norlh  Main  Street. 


i<riVE. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


Ann  Arbor,  Jan.  4,  1869. 

Dear  Sir. — As  a  committee  representing  the  Students  of  Medicine, 
who  from  necessity  or  pleasure  remained  in  the  city  during  the  holidays 
vacation,  we  are  instructed  to  return  you  the  sincere  thanks  of  those 
gentlemen,  for  having  so  kindly  responded  to  their  unanimous  and 
strongly  urged  request,  that  you  would  deliver  a  series  of  lectures,  on 
the  "principles  and  practices  of  the  Homoeopathic  School  of  Medicine;" 
in  some  Hall,  to  be  procured  by  them,  and  at  such  hours  during  the  va- 
cation as  might  suit  your  convenience. 

Having  listened  with  so  much  pleasure  and  profit  to  your  lectures, 
and  desiring  them  in  some  more  tangible  form  for  future  reference,  and 
believing  them  capable  of  a  much  more  extended  usefulness,  they  have 
instructed  us,  to  respectfully  request  you  to  furnish  us  for  publication, 
the  manuscript  from  which  those  lectures  were  delivered,  with  a  copy, 
as  nearly  as  may  be  convenient,  of  such  additional  extemporaneous  re- 
marks as  were  called  forth  on  the  occasion  of  their  delivery. 

As  this  request  represents  not  only  the  wishes  of  the  entire  medical 
class,  but  of  many  citizens,  some  of  whom  had  the  pleasure  of  hearing 
you,— it  is  hoped  it  will  meet  with  the  same  favorable  response  as  the 
former  cue, 

"We  have  the  honor,  Sir,  to  remain  your  obedient  servants, 

G.  W.  SNYDER,     ) 

F.  A.  SPALDING,  \  Committee. 

C.  B.  CODY  ) 


Ann  Arbor,  Jan  8th,  18G9. 

Messrs.  G.  M.  Snyder,  F.  A.  Spalding,  and  C.  B.  Cody,— 

Gentlemen.— Your  kind  note  of  the  4th  inst,  thanking  me  for  the 
lectures  delivered  at  the  request  of  those  you  represent,  and  asking  a 
copy  for  publication,  is  received. 

The  delivery  of  lectures  on  some  subjects  connected  with  my  de- 
partment in  the  University,  but  not  in  the  regular  course  of  instruction, 
during  the  interval  between  Christmas  and  New  Years,  had  become  a 
custom  well  established.    It  had  aSbrdcd  to  the  gentlemen  remaining  in 


4  couREsroxnEN'CT:. 

the  rity,  some  occupntion  wliich  tlicy  liiivc  secnuHl  to  cnjoj',  and  given 
nie  nn  opportunity  of  i)rosenlin,i!;  subjects  for  ^Yl^K•ll  there  otherwise 
would  not  hiive  been  time.  Tliis  season,  tlie  subject  of  "  Ilomfeopatliy," 
was  mentioned ;  suggested,  doubtless,  by  an  attack  made  l)y  a  Ilomoeo- 
patliist  in  a  newspaper,  accusing  me  of  ignorance  of  the  system,  misrep- 
resentaticMi  of  its  character,  iiersecution  of  its  adherents,  fear  of 
acknowledging  their  labors,  and  even  of  "  falsehood  "  in  stating  their 
doctrines. 

After  the  request  for  the  presentation  of  this  subject  was  so  urgently 
made,  and  the  way  opened  for  its  accomplishment  without  involving 
others  in  responsibility  they  were  unwilling  to  assume,  I  did  not  feel  at 
liberty  to  refuse,  especially  as  many  students  absorbed  in  other  studies, 
have  liad  little  opportunity  for  learning  what  Homoeopathy  really  is. 
That  a  novel  system  of  medical  doctrines  and  practice  which  urges  itself 
upon  public  institutions  for  recognition  and  association,  and  upon  a 
State  for  support,  .should  be  examined ; — should  have  the  views  of  its 
founders  and  adherents  presented  to  professional  and  public  judgment, 
seems  too  reasonable  to  require  any  apology.  Tlic  same  motives  which 
caused  a  compliance  with  your  first  request,  now  induce  an  acquicsence 
in  tlie  second ;  and  the  manuscript  is  placed  at  your  disposal. 

I  ought  in  justice  to  myself  to  say,  that  these  lectures  were  prepared 
within  a  few  days  of  their  delivery,  and  without  the  expectation  of  their 
]niblioation ;  but  the  task  of  preparation  was  the  less  difficult  from  the 
fact,  that  they  so  largely  consist  of  quotations  from  Standard  Iloma-o- 
pathic  writings,  with  most  of  which  I  was  already  fomiliar. 

As  you  have  expressed  a  desire  for  a  copy  of  the  lectures  as  they 
were  delivered,  I  shall  give  them  to  you  as  nearly  so  as  possible,  making 
very  few  even  verbal  alterations  in  the  portions  delivered  from  manu- 
script, and  reproducing,  as  nearly  as  I  may  be  able,  those  portions  not 
committed  to  writing.  I  have  added  a  few  pages  in  an  examination  of  a 
recent  author,  whose  work  was  not  accessible  when  the  lectures  were 
delivered. 

The  quotations  from  Ran,  Marcy,  Ilenriqucs,  Ilempel,  Hale,  «&c.,  were 
from  their  works  that  were  before  mc.  Some  of  those  from  Hahnemann's 
Organon,  were  from  the  Second  American  Edition,  w^liilc  others  were 
from  his  various  works  as  quoted  by  Sir  James  Simpson  and  others  of 
the  highest  authority,  and  for  the  correctness  of  every  ciuotation  I  hold 
myself  responsible.  Not  only  have  I  used  the  very  words  of  the 
autliors,  or  their  translators,  but  so  for  as  was  consistent,  have  given  the 
context, — have  alwaj-s  endeavored  to  present  fairly  the  meaning  of  the 
autlior.  The  pains  I  have  taken  in  this  respect,  enable  mc  to  repel  in 
advance  any  possible  accusations  of  garbling  and  unfairness.  That  I 
have  presented  in  their  true  light  the  leading  doctrines  of  Hahnomannic 


CORRESrONDElSrCT3.  5 

Ilomceopathj'-,  no  lioncst  man,  acqiiuintfd  with  tlie  su])jef1,  will,  I  (I'd 
confident,  deny. 

Thanking  you  and  llio  gentlemen  you  represent  Tor  the  close  atten- 
tion given  during  the  delivery  of  tlie  lectures;  for  your  encouragement 
in  my  ellbrts  for  the  maintenance  of  truth  and  reason,  and  the  exposi- 
tion of  error  and  folly ;  and  particularly  for  the  kindness  and  courtesy 
so  constantly  manifested, 

I  am  very  sincerely  your  friend, 
A.  B.  PALMEll. 


HOMCEOPATIIY, 


LECTURE    I. 


Gentlemen. — The  history  of  error — of  dehision  and  decep- 
tion, if  fully  written,  would  be  co-extensive  with  that  of  the 
human  race,  and  would  be  too  voluminous  for  any  of  us  to 
master.  Of  the  writing  of  the  many  books  containing  such 
history,  there  would  literally  be  no  end  ;  for  in  no  department 
of  human  knowledge  and  affairs  will  we  probably  ever  arrive 
at  absolute  truth  and  perfection. 

In  Natural  Science — in  Chemistry,  Physics,  Geology, 
Astronomy,  Meteorology  and  like  subjects,  regarded  as  capa- 
ble of  reduction  to  fixed  and  positive  facts  and  principles,  the 
wildest  speculations  and  boldest  assumptions  have  in  former 
times  prevailed;  and  respecting  them  the  most  erroneous 
opinions  have  been  entertained,  even  by  those  devoting  them- 
selves to  their  study  ;  and  in  the  more  human  affairs  of  politi- 
cal and  social  economy — in  governments,  laws  and  ethics, 
more  errors  than  truths  have  been  held ;  and  in  the  Science  of 
life,  physical  and  mental,  errors  and  fallacies  have  abounded. 
Most  of  our  systems  of  metaphysics  have  been  but  the  products  of 
imaginations,  abnormally  excited,  and  often  positively  morbid. 

But  in  Theology  and  Medicine, — the  two  great  subjects 
nearest  our  interests,  error,  delusion  and  quackery  have  rev- 
eled more  than  elsewhere.  In  all  the  different  phases  of  The- 
ology,— Pagan,  Mohammedan,  and  even  Christian — in  Roman- 
ism and  Protestantism,  in  Shakerism  and  Mormonism,  in  Semi- 


8  FIRST    LECTURE. 

C'liiislian  Spiritualism  :uitl  Mfiterialisiii,  uliiit  divcrsitios  whul 
contradictions,  what  sui)crstitions,  what  heresies,  what  delu- 
sion'^, what  impositions  !  In  Medicine,  what  wild  theories, 
what  baseless  assumptions,  what  artful  as  well  as  transparent 
deceptions,  what  shameless  knaveries  ! !  The  history  of  Med- 
ical Delusions  alone,  would  till  many  volumes,  and  would 
sound  ns  strange  to  ns  as  the  accounts  of  Astrology,  Alchemy, 
^Mesmerism,  Spiritualism,  Demonology  or  Witchcraft. 

The  healing  of  wounds  by  the  application  of  remedies  to 
the  instruments  causing  them — the  applying  of  the  hair  of  the 
dog  inflicting  the  bite — the  touch  of  the  King  for  the  cure  of 
Scrofula— Tar- Water  as  a  universal  remedy--Cold-AVater  as  the 
only  means  of  cure — the  indiscriminate  use  of  lobelia,  red  ]»ep- 
per,  and  steam — the  cure  by  Pcrkin's  Trr-Ctors — by  the  modern 
laying  on  of  hands,  and  by  the  thousand  and  one  specific  and 
secret  nostrums,  arc  but  cxaraj^les  of  what  the  few  have  pre- 
tended and  the  many  believed. 

But  however  interesting  these  histories  might  be  made,  I 
do  not  propose  to  dwell  upon  tlieni  in  general,  but  to  give  an 
account  of  a  System  of  Medical  Doctrines  and  Practice  which 
for  the  last  seventy  years  has  challenged  the  attention  of  the  civ- 
ilized world — has  been  rejected,  it  is  true,  by  all  the  great  lights 
of  our  profession,  but  which  still  appeals  to  the  popular  igno- 
rance on  the  subject  of  Medicine,  and  to  popular  credulity 
and  prejudice  for  support. 

But  I  will  not  prejudge  its  character,  endeavoring  rather 
lo  paint  its  portrait,  leaving  you  to  think  of  it  as  you  must. 

The  account  I  propose  to  give  of  it  will  be  drawn  from 
its  own  acknowledged  authors,  and  chiefly  in  their  own  words, 
and  nothing  will  be  designedly  suppressed  which  is  necessary 
lo  a  fair  and  full  representation  of  its  true  character. 

This  system,  called  Ilomceopathy,  originated  with  Samuel 
Hahnemann,  who  was  born  at  Messein,  in  Saxony,  in  1755. 
His  father  was  a  painter  on  porcelain,  and  had  not  the  means 
of  educating  his  son — l)ut  he  became  a  Charity  Scholar  at  a 
Provincial  School,  had  a  faculty  for  learning  languages,  be- 
came an  assistant  teacher  in  the  school,  and  after  he  left  it 
turn?d  his  attention  to  Medicine. 


FIRST   LECTUUE.  9 

lie  v.eceivcd  his  Me  Ileal  education  cliiefly  at  Loli)zic, 
where  he  stayeil  only  two  years  and  a  half,  and  spent  most  of 
his  time  in  translating  books  and  giving  lessons  in  German  and 
Latin,  in  order  to  make  his  living  ;  for  he  went  to  Leipzic  with 
only  fifteen  dollars.  Next  he  spent  a  few  months  in  Vienna, 
and  became  intiuenced  by  Jlesmer,  and  was  led  astray  by  JNIes- 
merisni  and  other  transcendental  follies.  Then  lie  went  as 
librarian  to  Transylvania  for  one  and  three-fourth  years.  In 
1779  he  went  to  Erlangen,  where  he  received  his  degree  of  M. 
D.  ;  then  to  the  little  town  of  Iletistadt,  for  nine  months; 
thence  to  Dessau,  for  six  months,  and  as  he  had  but  little  prac- 
tice, devoted  himself  to  Chemistry,  Botany,  etc.  His  seventh 
place  of  residence  was  in  a  little  village  (Gommer)  near  Mag- 
deburg, for  two  and  a  half  years.  He  says  no  physician  had 
been  in  this  benighted  place  before  him,  and  no  one  wanted 
one  now.  Next  he  went  to  Dresden  and  the  village  of  Ld'k 
owitz,  nearby.  Dr.  Dudgeon,  Editor  of  the  British  Journal  of 
noraa3opathy,  says  :  "  he  does  not  seem  to  have  done  much  in 
the  way  of  medical  practice."  He  now  almost  abandoned  the 
attempt  to  become  a  physician,  and  devoted  himself  for  some 
years  to  Chemistry.  His  tenth  and  eleventh  places  of  resi- 
dence were  Leipzic  and  the  neighboring  village  of  Stottenitz. 
Again  Dudgeon  says,  "Hahnemann  could  have  had  little  or 
no  opportunity  for  medical  practice.  In  1792  he  had  charge 
of  an  Insane  Asylum  for  nine  months.  Next  he  moved  to 
Walschleben,  a  little  village.  In  1794  he  went  to  Pyrmont,  a 
small  watering  place  in  Westphalia,  and  in  the  same  year  to 
Brunswick.  In  1795  he  went  to  Konigslutten  and  from  there 
to  his  seventeenth  place  of  residence,  Wolfenbiittel,  where  he 
remained — the  very  long  time  for  him,  of  four  years.  Then 
he  went  to  Hamburg,  but  soon  moved  to  Altona  ;  and  not  get- 
ting much  practice  he  went  to  Mollern,  and  from  there  to  Eu- 
leuburg  ;  then  to  Machern,  and  finally  to  Wittenberg. 

In  1803,  when  he  was  forty-eight  years  old,  we  find  him 
again  in  Dessau,  which  makes  his  twenty-fourth  place  of  resi- 
dence in  twenty-eight  years.  In  1806,  with  probably  less 
practical  experience,  especially  in  acute  diseases,  than  almost 


lU  FIKST    LECTL'UE. 

any  other  physician  fifty-one  years  okl,  lie  published  his  pani- 
jihlet  on  the  "]\Ieilicine  of  Experience."  Next  he  went  to  Tor- 
gau,and  conunenceil  to  publish  all  his  bitter  denunciations  of  an- 
cient and  modern  medicine,  in  a  poj^ular  magazine  of  general 
literature  and  science.  lie  now,  for  the  first  time,  began  to 
get  some  medical  practice.  In  '1810,  whin  he  was  fifty-five 
years  old  he  returned  to  Leipzic,  for  the  third  time,  and  began 
to  lecture  on  Homoeopathy.  He  had  been  a  charity  student  in 
Leipzic,  and  received  free  tickets  to  all  the  medical  lectures 
tliirty-four  years  before.  lie  was  so  bitter  in  his  invectives, 
tliat  his  classes  grew  less  and  less,  and  in  the  course  of  two  or 
three  years  he  was  obliged  to  give  up  lecturing,  for  want  of 
hearers. 

From  Leipzic  he  went  to  Coethen,  where  he  resided  four- 
teen years,  scarcely  ever  crossing  the  threshold  of  his  house, 
so  that  he  saw  very  few  cases  of  acute  disease — in  fact  most  of 
his  practice  was  by  mail,  in  shape  of  letters  to  chronic  patients. 
Afterwards  he  went  to  Paris  where  he  died. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  attack  Hahnemann's  private  charac- 
ter, altlionghhe  once  did  sell  a  secret  ointment,  made  of  a  salt, 
found  to  be  Borax,  and  refused  to  tell  the  name  of  his  prophy- 
lactic against  scarlet  fever,  until  a  [purse  of  three  hundred 
Louisdor's  was  made  up  for  him.     Says  Di\  Peters : 

*'  It  is  evident,  that  he  had  not  practical  experience  enough 
to  become  the  guide  of  practical  men.  He  was  only  a  half- 
educated  physician,  with  little  or  no  practice,  till  he  was  over 
fifty  years  of  age.  He  early  became  a  dreamer  of  dreams, 
a  fitting,  but  false  guide  for  enthusiastic,  half-educated,  drea- 
my and  impractical  medical  men." 

His  Biographer  and  enthusiastic  admirer,  Mr.  Sampson, 
says:  "that  in  the  year  1790,  while  translating  the  IMat.  Med. 
of  CuUen,  being  struck  with  the  contradictory  accounts  respect- 
inor  the  action  of  Peruvian  Bark,  it  occurred  to  him  to  test  the 
action  of  this  Medicine  upon  himself''  "  The  first  dose  pro- 
duced symptoms  similar  to  those  of  the  peculiar  kind  of  Inter- 
mittent Fever  which  the  same  medicine  is  known  to  cure." 
Repeating  the  experiments  confirmed  the  first,  and  forced  upon 


FIRST    LECTURE.  11 

liim  the  question  : — "  Can  it  be  possible  that  this  property 
wliich  I  now  observe  in  Peruvian  Bark,  of  producing  symp- 
toms analogons  to  those  of  the  disease  for  which  it  is  a  remedy, 
is  a  property  peculiar  to  medicines  of  all  kinds?  From  that 
moment  he  corauienced,'"  it  is  claimed  "  a  series  of  experiments 
on  other  substances — Mercury,  Belladonna,  Digitalis,  Coccu- 
lus,  &c.,  which  in  proportion  as  he  extended  them,"  says  Mr. 
Samjjson,  "  led  him  to  the  conviction  that  his  supposition  liad 
really  embraced  a  universal  therapeutic  law." 

From  this  he  went  on  developing  his  Si/stem.  inotlier  parts 
— writing  numerous  works,  the  most  important  being  his  "Or- 
ganon,"  in  which  he  expounds  his  principles — his  '•  Materia 
Medica  Pura," — a  voluminous  work,  and  his  work  on  "Chronic 
Diseases,"  in  four  volumes. 

In  the  preface  of  his  "  Organon,"  he  says  :  "  The  true  ait 
of  healing  remained,  undiscovered  until  my  time."  He  and 
his  followers  have  ever  claimed  that  the  law  that  "  like  cures 
like "  expressed  in  Hahnemann's  formula,  similia  similibus 
ciD'cmtur  was  an  original  discovery  of  this  "  Sage  of  Coethen," 
But  the  fanciful  Stahlhei'oro  him,  wrote  :  "  I  am  pursuaded  ^' 
*  that  diseases  are  subdued  by  agents  which  produce  a  similar 
affection — burns,  by  the  heat  of  a  fire  to  which  the  parts  are 
exposed  ;  the  frost  bite,  by  snow  or  icy  cold  water,  and  inflam- 
mations and  contusions  by  spirituous  applications,"  And  long 
before  Stahl,  three  general  methods  of  cure  had  received  rec- 
ognition— the  Anti2)athic,  the  Allopathic  and  the  Ilbmceo- 
pathic.  Antipiathic  from  the  Greek  ai^-r:',  opposite,  and  iza&oq^ 
suffering — meaning,  treatment  by  producing  an  effect  opposite 
the  disease.  Allopathic — from  the  Greek  a/16q^  another,  and 
-a&o;;,  suffering — producing  an  efiect  different  from,  but  not 
opposite  to  the  disease  ;  and  Homoeopathic — from  6iJ.d^,  like, 
and  -aOu^,  suffering— producing  an  effect  like  the  disease;  but  no 
one  before  Hahnemann  ever  quite  so  clearly  declared  that  it 
was  the  universal,  "Sole  law  of  Cure"  in  all  diseases. 

If  this  sijnilia  similibus  be  true  as  an  absolute  universal 
law,  Hahnemann  was,  perhaps  a  discoverer.     If  it  be  true  that 


IJ  FIIJST    I.KCTURK. 

it  is  only  one  oi"  tlio  l:i\\s  of  cure,  then  was  lie  i)iicc(k'<l  by 
others  who  hail  asserted  quite  as  much. 

Iiiilocd  the  Celebrated  Quack,  ParaeolsuP,  mIio  was  Ixjrii 
ill  119.3,  and  died  in  1551,  actuated  by  an  intense  liaticd  and 
opposition  to  Galen,  wlio  announced  tlie  law  '■'■  contrarla  co?i- 
(rariis  curaiiii/r,''^  declared  that  tliis  law  never  did  hold  good  in 
medicine;  but  that  a  Aoi  disease  had  never  been  cured  by  a 
cold  remedy  ;  nor  cold  diseases  by  a  hot  remedy  ;  *'  but  it  is 
well  done,"  says  he,  "  when  we  oppose  like  to  like."  "  Know 
all  men  "  he  exclaims,  "that  like  attacks  its  like  and  never  its 
contrary." 

Theophra'<te  says  a  good  deal  about  Specifics  ;  but  thought 
they  depended  on  the  influence  of  the  stars,  and  in  some  pas- 
sages rejects  the  docti'ine  of  Galen — contraria  contrariis  cu- 
7'antu)',  and  says,  "  diseases  are  cured  l)y  remedies  affecting 
the  organism  similarly  to  the  disease." 

Cardanus  likewise  doubted  the  maxim  of  Galen,  liut 
IJasilius  Valentinus  is  more  explicit,  and  says,  tliat  "  like  cures 
like,  but  that  contraria  do  not  cure.'' 

Other  writers  have  explained  the  opL'rations  of  specific 
remedies  on  the  same  ground  of  similarity. 

Stoerkhas  gone  further  in  this  than  any  other  writer  before 
him.  lie  suggests  with  a  certain  timidity  that  stramonium 
might  cure  derangement  of  the  mind,  for  the  reason  that  it 
deranges  the  reason  of  healthy  persons,  interrupts  the  ideas, 
modifies  the  perceptive  and  functionary  powers  ot  the  senses. 
— Bail's  Orgcmoyi,  p.  31. 

But  none  of  these  followed  up  the  idea  with  a  system  of 
corresponding  ideas.  Still,  they  all  did  enough  to  destroy  the 
originality  of  the  principle  as  a  conception  on  the  part  of 
Hahnemann. 

We  shall  find  that  nearly,  if  not  quite  all  of  Hahnemann's 
notions  had  been  suggested  before  his  time. — There  is  very 
little  absolutely  new  under  the  sun— but  yet  the  developments 
of  the  distinct  system  of  Hahnemannism  must  be  regarded  as 
belonging  to  the  man  who  gave  it  its  name.  But  the  princi- 
ple of  simiUa  similibus  was  not  original  with  him. 


FIRST   LECTURE.  13 

Even  in  an  old  nursury  rhyme,  dating  back,  for  ought  I 
know,  to  tlic  time  when  Mr.  Phillip's  "lost  arts"  were  known, 
the  principle  is  more  than  hinted  at.     It  runs  thus: 

"  There  was  a  man  in  our  town,  he  thought  he  was  wondrous  wise, 
He  jumped  into  a  bramble  bush  and  scratched  out  both  his  eyes  ; 

And  when  he  found  his  eyes  were  out,  with  all  his  might  and  main, 
He  jumped  into  anotlier  bush  and  scratched  them  in  again." 

But  if  it  shall  prove,  as  I  suspect  it  may,  on  investigation, 
that  in  no  proper  sense  can  this  be  regarded  as  an  important, 
or  any  law  of  cure  at  all — that  scratched  out  eyes  cannot  be 
scratched  in  again,  by  a  bramble  bush  acting  similarly,  then  is 
Hahnemann  not  only  not  a  discoverer,  but  something  much 
worse  than  this  negative  character.  Indeed,  he  is  a  promulga- 
tor of  a  False  Doctrine,  if  "  similla  similihus  "  is  not  the 
"  only  law  of  cure; ''  for  this  is  what  is  distinctly  and  repeat- 
edly declared. 

On  page  56  of  his  Organon,  he  says,  that  to  effect  a  cure 
of  diseases,  we  should  in  "  every  case "  give  "  a  medicine 
which  can  itself  produce  an  affection  similar  to  that  sought  to 
be  cured."  On  page  73,  he  says :  "  The  truth  is  only  to  be 
found  in  this  method."  "  It  is  not  possible  "  he  states  "  to 
perform  a  cure  but  by  the  aid  of  a  remedy  which  produces 
sym2)toms  similar  to  those  of  the  disease  itself."  On  page  55 
he  says,  that  "  like  is  cured  by  like,"  is  "  the  only  Therapeutic 
law  conformable  to  nature."  On  page  100,  he  repeats  :  It  is 
"  the  only  Thcrapentic  law  conformable  to  nature."  On  page 
73,  he  says  it  is  an  "  Infallible  " — page  78,  an  "  unerring  law  " 
— page  153,  "  T'/ie  great  sole  Therapeutic  law  '' — "A  mode  of 
cure  founded  on  an  eternal  infallible  law  of  nature." 

The  [strict]  followers  of  Hahnemann  insist  upon  this  gen- 
eral universal  law.  This  is  the  central,  essential  feature  of 
Homoeopathy — In  so  fiir  as  any  deviate  from  this  principle, 
they  cease  to  be  Homoeopaths.  This  must  be  regarded  as  set- 
tled— this  is  what  Homoeopathy  means. 

It  will  be  observed,  that  in  accordance  with  the  Homoeo- 
pathic plan,  medicines  are  used  which  produce  si/mjytojjis  sim- 
ilar to  the  disease. 


14  FIRST    LECTURE. 

In  the  case  of  Bark  it  was  not  contended — or  would  not 
1)C — that  it  produced  the  malarial  poison,  the  cause  of  Ague  ; 
and  nndiing  was  said  of  the  Pathology  of  that  disease;  hut 
simply  that  it  caused  symptoms  resembling  Ague. 

So  in  other  cases  in  all  their  pretended  "  provings,"  or 
taking  of  medicines  by  well  or  sick  persons  to  ascertain  their 
effects — the  symptoms  they  produce,  they  were  sujiposed  to 
cure.  Thus  in  all  the  works  of  Hahnemann  and  his  followers, 
remedies  are  placed  in  opposition  to  symptoms,  ignoring  ev- 
ciything  else. 

The  symptoms  arc  detailed  at  immense  length,  which 
certain  drugs  have  been  said  to  cause  in  somebody  ;  and  these 
drug  symjjtoms  serve  as  the  basis  for  their  administration  in 
disease.  They  are  to  be  given  when  such  symptoms  appear. 
Take  for  instance  Jahr's  Manuel — a  leading  work  of  the  TFo- 
mocopaths. 

We  find  looking  at  different  parts  at  random,  the  follow- 
ing directions  :  "  For  absence  of  mind,irresoluteness  " — (mere 
external  manifestations — )  remedy,  "  Alum."  "  Absence  of 
mind  with  confusion  of  thought,"  "  Cupr."  "  Making  mistakes 
in  Amting,"  "  Nutr,  Carb."  (Carbonate  of  Soda.)  Frequent 
Vanishing  of  Thought,"  "  01.  An."  "  Fear  of  Death,"  "  Dig." 
"  Pain  in  Big  Toe  as  if  Sprained,"  "  Mosch,"  etc. 

The  same,  substantially,  is  found  in  all  their  works  on  Ma- 
teria Medica. 

On  this  subject  of  Symptoms,  being  the  basis  of  all  the- 
rapeutical appliances,  Hahnemann  is  very  explicit. 

He  lays  it  doAvn  as  one  of  bis  "  indubitable  truths,"  as  he 
says,  that  "  the  sum  of  all  the  Symptoms  in  each  individual 
case  of  disease  is  the  fiole  guide  to  direct  us  in  the  choice  of  a 
curative  remedy." — Organon,  p.  120 — English  Editio7i. 

In  Ague,  for  instance,  the  remedy  is  not  chosen  in  refer- 
ence to  its  effects  in  removing  the  poison  which  is  its  cause, 
nor,  indeed,  in  reference  to  its  more  essential  internal  condi- 
tions, but  simply  in  reference  to  its  conditions  which  are  per- 
ceptible to  the  Senses,  either  df  the  patient  or  the  physioian. 


FIRST    LECTURE.  lo 

Again  on  pasje  81,  (Organon — American  Edition — )  he 
says  : — 

"  In  short,  the  ensemble  of  the  symptoms  is  the  principle 
and  sole  object  that  a  physician  ought  to  have  in  view  in  every 
case  of  disease — the  power  of  his  art  is  to  be  directed  against 
that  alone,  in  order  to  cure  and  transform  it  into  health." 
Again,  on  page  84, — '•  Only  that  which  is  necessary  for  the 
physician  to  know  of  disease,  and  which  is  fully  sufficient  for 
the  purpose  of  cure  is  rendered  evident  to  his  senses."  And, 
again,  page  113,  {English  Edition,)  he  repeats — "The  to- 
tality of  the  Symptoms  must  be  the  principle — the  sole  thing 
the  physician  has  to  take  note  of  in  every  case  of  disease,  and 
to  remove  by  means  of  his  art. 

This  may  account  for  the  neglect  of  Anatomy,  Physiology, 
Pathology,  and  other  branches  of  Medical  Science,  on  the 
part  of  some,  at  least,  who  claim  to  be  authorities  in  Homoeo- 
pathy. Thus,  one  of  their  leading  authors.  Dr.  C.  J.  Hempel, 
in  the  PhiladelpJiia  Journal  of  JIomceopathy^iov'M^vch,  185G, 
in  contending  for  the  similarity  of  the  cause  of  the  sounds  in 
bronchial  respiration  of  pneumonia,  and  the  bellows  murmur 
of  valvular  diseases  of  the  heart,  says  that  "  atmospheric  air 
in  a  free  state  is  expelled  from  the  heart  at  each  contraction, 
and  it  is  the  passage  of  this  air  through  the  uncovered  orifice 
of  the  heart  that  causes  the  blowing  sound  !  " 

It  is  proper  to  say  that  attempts  have  been  made  to  ex- 
plain away  this  explicit  language  of  Hahnemann  resjsecting 
symptomatic  treatment ;  but  from  the  methods  of  ascertain- 
ing the  powers  of  medicines,  this  is  a  necessity — is  alone  con- 
sistent with  the  plan.  Deviations  from  this,  are  deviations 
from  what  is  legitimately  regarded  as  true  Homoeopathy  as  a 
System 

"  Similia  similihus''''  is  the  central  dogma  of  Homoeopathy, 
but  the  System  of  Hahnemann  is  more  than  this — it  embraces 
other  parts. 

It  was  not  pretended  by  Hahnemann,  neither  is  it,  I  sup- 
pose, by  any  of  his  followers,  that  medicine  can  produce  the 
combination  and  succession    of    conditions  and  phenomena, 


in  FIRST    LECTURE. 

constitiitinjij  the  diflorcnt  forms  of  disease;  such  as  Cholera  in 
its  totality,  or  Sinall-j)o.v,  or  Typhoid  I'cver,  or  Pneninonia; 
but  tUey  claim  that  various  medicines  are  capable  of  producing 
certain  syiii])toms,  resumbliiiLj  those  that  occur  ii\  the  course  of 
such  diseases — certain  p;iins,  and  llushings,  and  tremors,  and 
the  like;  and  that  in  the  course  of  the  disease  these  symptoms 
are  to  be  looked  for  and  counteracted  by  the  agents  homoeo- 
pathic to  them.  The  remedy  must  be  used  which  covers  most 
of  the  symptoms  present  at  any  one  time.  If  the  symptoms 
combated  disappear,  then  another  observation  is  to  be  taken, 
and  other  remedies  selected.  This  is  the  only  way  conditions 
can  be  met  homccopathically.  The  disease  in  its  cntii'ety  can- 
not be  met  homoeopathically,  because  no  remedy  will  produce 
a  condition,  even  in  the  estimation  of  however  imaginative 
Ilomoiopathists,  resembling  the  entire  disease,  but  only  certain 
symptoms  ;  therefore  Symptomatic  treatment  is  a  necessity  to 
the  system.  Remedies  cannot  on  this  plan  be  directed  to  cau- 
ses. It  is  impossible — they  can  only  be  directed  to  effects — to 
the  Symjjtoms.  This  Hahnemann  saw  and  insisted  upon. 
This  is  a  principle  of  his  System — of  the  System  whose  cen- 
tral dogma  is  "  slmllla  slmlUbus.''''  Now,  according  to  the 
principles  you  have  been  taught,  a  fever  caused  by  suppression 
of  the  secretion  of  the  skin,  is  properly  treated  by  endeavor- 
ing to  restore  that  secretion,  thus  attempting  to  remove  the 
cause — to  eliminate  by  the  skin  morbid  materials  in  the  blood 
causing  the  fever. 

A  pain  in  the  intestines  caused  by  the  presence  there  of 
vitiated  bile,  causing  bilious  colic,  you  will  be  taught,  will  be 
best  cured  by  removing  that  bile,  and  its  recurrence,  by  correc- 
ting the  chai'acter  of  that  secretion. 

The  Homoeopath  in  accordance  with  his  System  would  re- 
gard the  symptom  of  pain,  directing  his  remedy  to  it,  and  us- 
ing a  remedy  which  would  tend  to  cause  a  similar  pain.  The 
remedy  is  directed  to  the  sjanptom — the  pain. 

Some  modern  Homoeopaths  might  say  the  remedy  should 
be  directed  to  the  wrong  secretion  of  the  liver ;  but  this  is  not 
"  perceptible  to  the   senses,"  and  is  in  violation   of  Ilahne- 


FIRST   i-ecturp:.  1 7 

■niun's  rule.  Jjul  all  Homoeopaths,  ancioul  and  nioiloni,  must 
avy  that  the  remedy,  if  directed  to  the  liver,  must  be  one  which 
would  cause  the  secretion  of  vitiated  bile,  if  i^iven  in  proper 
doses.  This  could  not  be  avoided.  True  or  false,  riglit  or 
wrong,  this  certainly  is  Homoeopathy,  But  this  is  not  all  of 
the  System.     There  are  other  necessary  parts. 

In  giving  medicine  on  the  principle  that  "like  cures  like" 
— in  giving  Opium  for  stupor, — continued  cathartics  for  diar- 
rhoea, stimulants  for  fever,  iri-itants  for  an  inflamed  stomach, 
cantharides  for  strangury,  etc.,  in  ordinary  doses,  it  was  found 
that  the  symptoms,  the  sole  objects  of  treatment,  were  made 
worse  instead  of  better,  and  this  difficulty  was  met  by  the  di- 
minution of  the  dose. 

"The  suitableness  of  a  medicine,"  says  Hahnemann,  in 
his  Org anon^  page  231,  [English  JEdltioii),  "for  any  given 
case  of  disease,  does  not  depend  on  its  accurate  Homoeopathic 
selection  alone,  but  likewise  on  the  proper  size,  or  rather  small- 
ness  of  the  dose.  If  we  give  too  strong  a  dose  of  a  medicine 
which  may  have  been  even  quite  honioeopathically  chosen  for 
the  morbid  state  before  us,  it  must,  notwithstanding  the  inher- 
ent beneficial  character  of  its  nature,  prove  injurious  by  its 
mere  magnitude,  and  by  the  unnecessary  excessive  impression 
it  makes  upon  the  vital  force  which  it  convulses."  For  "  a  med- 
icine "  says  he,  in  his  "  medicine  of  experience,^''  "  of  a  positive 
and  curative  kind,  will,  without  fault  in  itself  pi'oduce  just  the 
contrary  (effect)  of  that  wiiich  it  ought  to  do,  if  given  in  ex- 
cessive quantity,  by  producing  a  greater  disease  than  thai 
present." 

In  the  Organon  he  observes — "  a  medicine  even  though  it 
may  be  homoeopathically  suited  to  the  case  of  disease,  does 
harm  in  every  dose  that  is  too  large,  the  more  harm  the  larger 
the  dose ;  and  by  the  magnitude  of  the  dose  it  does  more 
harm  the  greater  its  homceopathicity."— ^9.  321. 

Dr.  Black,  a  standard  writer  of  the  School,  says  :  "  With 
large  doses  patients  may  be  treated  homoeopathically ;  but 
then  we  may  frequently  expect  a  ptositive  increase  of  the  dis- 
ease, or  even  death.     The  experience  of  such  painful  and  dan- 


18  FIRST    LECTURE. 

gerous  aggravations,  in  no  case  necessary  to  cmx',  led  Ilalmc- 
maim  to  employ  minute  closes." 

In  the  nature  of  the  case,  no  less  than  from  tlie  statements 
of  ho!ncDopathic  anthors,  it  is  seen  that  small  doses  are  a  nec- 
essary part  of  the  homoeopathic  system  ;  and  whenever  t'lie 
*arger  doses  of  medicine  arc  given,  they  are  not  selected  in 
accordance  with  the  "  Sole  Universal  Law  of  Cure." 

In  his  later  years,  Hahnemann's  "  experience"  led  him,  as 
he  states,  to  the  conviction,  that  the  "  minutest  doses,"  to  use 
his  own  words,  "  are  ahcays  able  to  overcome  the  disease." 

lie  denounces  with  gi-eat  contempt  tho^c  who  affect  to 
disbelieve  the  perfect  and  certain  powers  of  drugs  in  their 
tliirtictli  dilution. 

In  his  Organon,  (page  2S'J,  l<^nglisli  Edition,)  lie  says  : 
('The  very  smallest,  I  repeat  ;  for  it  holds  good,  and  will  con- 
tinue to  hold  good,  as  a  hora(EOi)athic  therapeutie  maxim,  not 
to  be  refuted  by  any  experience  in  the  icorld,  that  the  best  dose 
of  the  properly  selected  remedy  is  always  the  xeiiy  sjiallest 
one,  in  one  of  the  high  dynarainzations.  (X  or  30th  dilution,)  as 
well  for  chronic  as  acute  diseases, — a  truth  that  is  the  inesti- 
mable property  of  pure  homoeopathy,  and  which,  as  long  as 
Allopathy,  (and  the  new  mongrel  system,  made  up  of  mixtures 
of  allopjathic  and  homoeopathic  processes  is  not  much  better,) 
continues  to  gnaw  like  a  cancer  at  the  life  of  sick  human  be- 
ings, and  to  ruin  them  by  large  and  even  larger  doses  of  drugs, 
will  keep  pure  homoeopathy  separated  from  these  spurious 
arts  as  by  an  impassible  gulf." 

This  statement,  that  no  amount  of  experience  can  disprove 
the  efficiency  of  small  doses,  reminds  one  of  the  speculations 
of  a  philosopher  stated  to  a  friend,  who  told  him  that  the  facts 
were  not  in  accordance  with  his  theory.  "  Ah  then,"  said  the 
philosopher,  "  so  much  the  worse  for  the  f;icts." 

But  the  small  doses  are  an  absolute  necessity  to  the  sys- 
tem; and,  of  course,  all  the  experience  in  the  world  cannot  re- 
fute their  efficiency  I  The  separation  by  "  an  imi)assible  gulf" 
we  arc  ready  to  accept. 

As  to  what  is  meant  by  these  "  smaller  doses,"  we  shall 


FIRST    LECTURE.  19 

now  see.  The  popular  notion  of  Homoeopathy  is,  that  it  con- 
sists essentially  in  giving  sinallei'  doses  of  medicine,  than  what 
is  called  Allopathy,  gives.  People  speak  of  '•  little  pill?;,"  and 
"  big  pills,"  as  mere  questions  of  dose — or  of  bulk  of  medi- 
cine, without  any  adequate  conception  of  the  infinity  of  tlie 
difference. 

They  sometimes  say  the  pills  are  small,  but  they  are  the 
more  active  principles  in  a  more  concentrated  or  active  form. 
I  ask  your  patience  while  I  endeavor  to  give  an  idea  ofhomo?- 
opathic  doses,  and  show  what  •'  little  pills  "  means. 

The  mode  of  preparation  of  homceopathic  medicines  as 
directed  by  the  standard  works  on  the  subject,  will  alone  give 
proper  conceptions  of  the  minuteness  of  its  doses.  In  Hahne- 
mann's Organon,  second  American  Edition,  page  200,  is  the 
following  passage  : 

"  If  two  drops  of  a  mixture  of  equal  parts  of  Alcohol 
and  recent  juice  of  any  medicinal  plant  be  diluted  with  ninety- 
eight  drops  of  Alcohol  in  a  vial  capable  of  containing  130 
drops,  (for  the  convenience  of  shaking,)  and  the  whole  twice 
shaken  together,  the  medicine  becomes  exalted  in  energy  to 
the  first  development  of  power,  or,  as  it  may  be  denominated 
the  first  j)Otence.  The  process  is  to  be  continued  through 
twenty-nine  additional  viala,  each  of  equal  capacity  with  the 
first,  and  each  containing  ninety-nine  drops  of  Alcohol,  so  that 
every  successive  vial  after  the  first,  being  furnished  with  one 
drop  from  the  vial  or  dilution  immediately  preceding  (which 
has  just  been  twice  shaken,)  is,  in  its  turn,  to  be  shaken  twice, 
remembering  to  i^umber  the  dilution  of  each  vial  upon  the 
cork  as  the  operation  proceeds.  These  manipulations  ai'c  to  be 
conducted  thus  through  all  the  vials,  from  the  first  up  to  the 
thirtieth,  or  decillionth  development  of  power,  Avhicli  is  the 
one  in  most  general  use." 

With  regard  to  solids,  he  adds  on  the  same  page,  "  these 
were,  in  the  first  place,  exalted  in  energy  by  attenuation  in  the 
form  of  powder  by  means  of  trituration  in  a  mortar,  (in  sugar,) 
to  the  third,  or  millionth  degree.  Of  this  one  grain  was  then 
dissolved  and  brought  through  twenty-seven   vials  by  a  pro- 


20  FIRST    LECTURE. 

CL'ss  siinihii-  to  tliixl  cinployctl  in  the  case  of  vegetable  juices 
u|)  to  the  tliirtietli  developnient  of  power." 

On  page  207  of  the  same  work,  the  same  founder  of  the 
system  says  :  "  The  best  mode  of  administration  is  to  make 
use  of  small  globules  of  sugar  the  size  of  mustard  seed  ;  one 
of  these  globules  having  imbibed  the  medicine,  and  being  in- 
troduced into  a  vehicle,  forms  a  dose  containing  about  a  three- 
hundredth  part  of  a  drop  of  the  dilution,  for  three  hundred  of 
such  globules  will  imbibe  one  drop  of  Alcohol,  by  placing  one 
of  tliese  on  the  tongue,  and  not  drinking  anything  after  it," 
*  *  *  *  and  then  he  adds  :  "  But  if  the  patient  is  very 
sensitive,  and  it  is  necessary  to  employ  the  smallest  dose  pos- 
sible, and  attain  at  the  same  time  the  most  speedy  results,  it 
will  be  sufficient  to  let  him  smell  once." 

Dr.  Ilempel,  vol.  1,  page  92,  says ;  "  In  order  to  obtain 
good  homoeopathic  preparations,  follow  Hahnemann's  rules  as 
closely  as  may  be  possible  and  convenient,"  even  in  the 
mode  of  trituration,  etc. 

Dr.  Rau  in  his  HoracEopathic  Organon,  American  transla- 
tion, page  120,  says:  "  One  grain  of  the  solid  and  one  drop  of 
the  liquid  substances,  is  mixed  with  ninety-nine  grains  of  su- 
gar of  milk,  and  triturated  for  one  hour  in  a  porcelain  mortar 
with  a  porcelain  pestle.  *  *  After  an  hour's  trituration  we 
obtain  the  first  trituration.  The  second  trituration  is  prepared 
by  triturating  one  grain  of  the  first  trituration  with  an  addi- 
tional ninety-nine  grains  of  sugar  of  milk.  The  third  by  tritu- 
rating one  grain  of  the  second  in  a  similar  manner.  Of  this 
third  we  mix  one  grain  with  one  hundred  drops  of  Alcohol  or 
water,  and  by  shaking  the  mixture  a  number  of  times,  obtain 
the  fourth  dilution.  Every  successive  dilution  is  obtained  by 
mixing  in  a  similar  manner,  one  drop  of  the  preceding  dilution 
Avith  ninety-nine  drops  of  Alcohol." 

In  the  first  dilution  of  one  grain  of  the  medicine  with 
ninety-nine  of  sugar  or  alcohol,  one  grain  of  the  mixture  con- 
tains iJo  of  a  grain  of  the  crude  medicine.  One  grain  or  drop 
of  this  first,  added  to  the  next  vial,  thus  forming  the  second 
dilution, — a  grain  or   drop  of  this  Avill   contain  jJo  part  of  ilo, 


FIRST   LECTURE.  21 

\vhicli  is  lo.Joo  P-'ii't  of  a  grain.  The  third  clihition  contains  m 
part  of  the  second,  and  one  grain  of  that  contains  1,000,000  V^^'^ 
of  a  grain  of  the  niedicine.'^The  fourth  contains  iJo  parts  of 
the  third,  Avhich  woukl  be  100,000,000.  The  fifth,  10,000,000,000,  and  so  on 
up  to  the  thirtieth,  diminishing  in  this  rapid  geometrical  pro- 
gression—the denominator  of  the  traction  representing  each 
succeeding  dihition  being  multiplied  by  100  ; — each  one  all  the 
way  through  being  100  times  less  than  the  one  just  preceeding 
— so  that  at  the  thirtieth  dilution,  a  unit  with  sixty  ciphers  for 
a  denominator,  and  a  unit  for  the  numerator,  expresses  the 
quantity  of  medicine,  or  the  part  of  a  grain  which  at  that  di, 
lution  is  contained  in  a  drop.     This  is  the  fraction  : 


1.000,UOO,000,UOO,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.000,000,000,000,000,000,000,(X)0. 

A  drop  of  alcohol  containing  this  part  of  a  grain  is  to 
moisten  three  hundred  sugar  globules.  The  alcohol  evaporates, 
leaving  that  fraction  of  a  grain  in  the  globules,  'and  one  of 
these  globules  is  the  dose. 

The  quantity  of  liquid  required  to  dilute  the  whole  of  a 
single  grain  to  the  thirtieth  degree  may  be  arrived  at  mathe- 
matically by  taking  another  view  from  the  same  data  presented 
in  the  language  of  Hahnemann  and  Rau. 

"When  using  the  medicine  at  the  thirtieth  dilution  all  the 
intermediate  vials  are  discarded.  If  all,  however,  were  used 
and  brought  to  this  dilution — if  none  were  discarded,  and  the 
whole  ultimately  elaborated — a  thing  impossible  except  in  the- 
ory, it  Avould  be  as  follows : 

For  the  first  dilution  100  drops  of  alcohol  would  be  used. 
For  the  second,  100  times  as  many  which  would  be  10,000 
drops,  or,  as  ascertained,  about  one  pint.  For  the  third,  100 
pints.  The  fourth,  10,000,000.  And  now  it  mounts  up  rap- 
idly at  each  dilution.  For  the  ninth  dilution  it  would  require 
(10,000,000^000)  ten  billions  of  gallons,  which  is  found  by  com- 
putation to  be  equal  to  the  water  in  a  lake  tAvelve  miles  in  cir- 
curaferance.  For  three  dilutions  more,  the  twelfth,  it  requires 
a  million  of  such  lakes — which,  according  to  computation, 
would  be  equal  to  five^^hundred  lakes  as  large  as  Lake   Supe- 

t  UN IV 


L'L'  FIRST    LKCTCBE. 

rior.  The  fifteenth  dihuion  would  require  a  body  of  fluid  six- 
(y-ono  times  greater  than  the  Earth — and  the  thirtieth  would 
actually  take  a  quantity  of  fluid  exceeding  the  volume  of  a 
<|uadrillion  of  suns. 

Various  calculations  have  been  made  by  diflercnt  writers 
with  a  view  of  giving  as  definite  notions  as  possible  of  these 
infinitesimal  doses. 

The  dilutions  are  divided  by  Dr.  Hempel  into  four  clas- 
ses, viz : 

1  St.     Lower — up  to  the  Gth  attenuation. 
2d.     Middle— from  the  6th  to  the  30th. 
3d.     Higher— from  the  30th  to  the  200th. 
4th.     Highest— above  the  200th. 
These  go  up  to  the  40,000th. 

Dr.  Simpson,  (Sir  James)  of  Edinburgh,  has  shown  by 
his  calculations,  confirmed  by  the  mathematical  professors  of 
the  University  of  Edinburgh,  that  at  the  fifteenth  dilution,  a 
mass  of  sugar  would  be  required  out  of  which  61  bodies 
could  be  made,  each  as  large  as  our  earth.  The  16th  would 
require  100  times  as  many— i.  e.—Gl  x  100=6,100.  Multiplying 
each  time  by  100 — from  the  loth  to  the  30th — fifteen  times — 
would  make  thirty  ciphers  joined  to  the  61.  Making  a  bulk 
61,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000  times  as  large  as 
the  earth. 

I  give  you  from  Sir  James  Simpson,  the  following 

^'^  Table  shoioing  the  quantity  of  alcohol  or  fluid  required  to  dis- 
solve one  single  graiyi  or  drop  of  homoeopathic  drug  (as 
sulphtir,  aconite,  etc.)  doxon  into  tJie  folloioing  homoeo- 
pathic attenuations  or  dilutions. 

Number  of  Attenuation  Relative  quantity  of  tbe  Drug,  and  of  the  quantity  of 

DlluttoD,  or  Potency,  Alcohol  in  which  it  is  diasolred  in  each  Atlennation. 

1st  Attenuation. — Oue  grain,  or  drop,  in  one  and  a-half  tea-spoonfuls  of 
alcohol. 

2d  Attenuation. — One  grain,  in  twenty-one  fluid  ounces  of  alcoliol. 

3d  Attenuation. — One  grain,  in  two  thousand  and  eighty  ounces  ;  or  in 
one  hundred  and  four  pints  of  alcohol. 

Gtli  Attenuation. —  One  grain,  in  thirteen  million  gallons;  or  in  two 
hundred  and  six  thousand  hogsheads ;  or 
in  fifty-one  thousand  tons  of  alcohol. 


FIRST   LECTURE.  23 

9lli  Attomuvtiun. — Ouo  grain,  in  a  lake  of  alcohol  with  a  volume  of 
about  fourteen  cubic  miles  ;  or  in  a  lake  of 
fifty  fathoms  in  depth,  and  presenting  two 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  of  square  surface. 

\2{h  Altenuution. — One  grain,  in  a  sea  containing  about  fourteen  mil- 
lion cubic  miles  of  alcohol ;  or  in  a  quan- 
tity of  fluid  equal  to  a  sea  six  times  the 
size  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea. 

15th  Attenuuliou. — (-)ne  grain,  in  an  ocean  of   fourteen  billion  cubic 

miles  of  alcohol ;  or  in  an  ocean  about 
forty-six  tliousand  tiuK's  greater  than  the 
whole  waters  contained  in  all  the  oceans 
of  the  earth. 

24th  Attenuation. — One  grain,  in  an  ocean  of  fourteen  quiutillion  cubic 

miles  of  alcohol ;  or  in  a  quantity  suffic- 
ient to  make  one  hundred  and  forty  mas- 
ses, each  filling  a  sphere  extending  from 
limit  to  limit  of  the  orbit  of  the  planet 
Neptune. 

30th  Attenuation.— One  grain,  in  an  ocean  of  fourteen  scptilHon  cubic 

miles  of  alcohol ;  or  in  a  quantity  suffi- 
cient to  make  one  hundred  and  forty  bil- 
lion spherical  masses  extending  from  limit 
to  limit  of  Neptune's  orbit ;  or  in  a  quan- 
tity equal  to  many  hundred  spheres  each 
with  a  semi-diameter  or  radius  extending 
from  the  earth  to  the  nearest  fixed  star. 

This  thirtieth,  or  last,  of  these  attenuations  or  dilutions  is,  according 
to  Hahnemann,  the  most  appropriate  dose  of  every  drug  in  every  dis- 
ease. For  we  have  already  found  him  strongly  and  solemnly  declai'ing 
(see  page  62,)  that  "  it  holds  good,  and  will  continue  to  hold  good  as  a 
homcEopathic  therapeutic  maxim,  not  to  be  refused  by  any  experience  in 
the  world,  that  the  best  dose  of  the  properly  selected  remedy  is  al- 
ways the  very  smallest  one  in  one  of  the  high  dynamizations,  X  (or  the 
30th  dilution,)  as  well  for  chronic  as  for  acute  diseases."  Now,  this  30th 
dilution,  which  Hahnemann  thus  asserts  as  indubitably  "  th^,  best  dose  "  of 
all  drugs  for  chronic  or  acute  diseases,  consists  of  a  duecillionth  of  a  grain 
of  the  drugs  used  ;  or,  in  other  words,  it  consists  of  a  minute  rjlobide  of 
sugar,  moistened  by  being  simphj  dipped  in  a  drop  out  of  an  ocean  of  fluid 
one  hundred  and  forty  billions  (140,000,000,000,000)  times  as  larye  as  our 
whole  planetary  system,  and  icMch  enormous  ocean  has  been 'medicated  for 
the  purposes  of  Iwrnceopathy,  by  having  dissolved  and  mixed  through  it  one 
single  grain  of  the  appropriate  drug." 

Dr.  Simpson  adds : 

"  Surely  common  sense  and  common  sanity  both  dictate  to  the  hu- 
man mind  that  it  is  utterly  impossible  that  any  such  dose,  from  any 
such  an  inconceivable  ocean,  medicated  by  a  single  grain  of  any  drug 
dissolved  and  mixed  in  it,  can  have  any  possible  medicinal  effect  upoii 
the  human  body,  either  in  a  state  of  health  or  in  a  state  of  disease  ;  and, 
— looking  at  these  and  the  numerous  and  diversified  fticts  ;  confirma' 
TORY  IN  ALL  RESPECTS  OP  THE  SAME  VIEW,  which  have  been  already 
stated  in  the  preceding  pages, — we  cannot  but  conclude  with  a  writer 
whom  the  homoeopathists  themselves  regard  as  the  mildest  and  fairest 
among  their  opponents,  namely,  Dr.  Forbes,  that  in  rejecting  homoeo- 
pathy, "  we  are  discarding  what  is  at  once  false  and  bad — useless 

TO  the  sufferer — AND  DEGRADIKG  TO  THE  PHYSICIAN." 


24  FIRST   LECTURE. 

Possiljly  wc  cannot  deny  the  credit  (?)  of  originality  to 
JIaliiicmnnn,  for  insisting  upon  the  efticacy  of  infinitcsisnial 
doses  ;  and  yet  Cervantes  in  his  inimitable  sarcasm  on  Knight- 
errantry — in  the  third  chai)ter  of  Don  Quixote,  says  : 

"  In  the  plains  and  deserts  where  Knight-crrants  fought 
and  were  wounded,  no  aid  was  near,  unless  they  had  some 
sage  cnclianter  for  their  friend,  who  could  give  them  immedi- 
ate assistance  by  conveying  in  a  cloud  through  the  air,  some 
damped  or  dwarf,  icith  a  vial  of  ^catcr,  Y)0sscssc(l  of  such  effi- 
cacy, that  upon  tasting  a  eingle  drop  of  it,  they  should  instantly 
become  as  sound  as  if  tliey  had  received  no  injury," 

Many  of  the  statements  of  Ilahncman  and  his  followers 
are  very  much  after  this  style — are  indeed  quite  as  marvelous. 
In  the  case  of  the  "  Sage  enchanters,"  unearthly  powers  were 
supposed  to  exist ;  and  when  we  go  beyoud  our  material  and 
mortal  sphere,  nothing  then,  is  impossible. 

But  seriously  this  seems  to  deprive  Hahnemann's  idea  of 
the  efficacy  of  imponderable  doses,  of  originality;  for  the  drop 
was  spoken  of  as  water,  doubtless  treated  in  some  peculiar 
way,  producing  a  surprisingly  rapid  curative  effect. 

The  method  of  trituration  with  sugar  of  milk  has  been  at- 
tributed to  the  originality  of  Hahnemann.  But  the  celebrated 
Baron  Stoerk,  when  Hahnemann  was  only  sixteen  years  old, 
published  a  Avork  on  Pulsatilla,  (an  article  of  medicine,  by 
the  way,  claimed  by  the  Homoeopaths  as  belonging  to  them,) 
in  which  he  gives  an  account  of  rubbing  it  up  in  a  marble  mor- 
tar with  sugar  of  milk,  as  Hahnemann  after  advised  it  treated, 
and  the  Baron  thoroughly  experimented  with  it  also,  by  admin- 
istering it  both  to  the  healthy  and  the  side. 

These,  then,  are  the  "  little  pills."  This  is  what  is  meant 
by  "  infinitesimal  doses."  These  are  the  methods  and  the  ex- 
tent of  the  dilutions. 

I  have  found  it  a  diflicult  matter  to  induce  persons  who 
have  given  no  special  attention  to  this  subject,  to  believe  that 
really  such  notions  were  entertained  and  taught  by  Hahne- 
mann, and  are  professed  to  be  believed  in  by  his  followers. 
Should  you  present  these  statements  to  the  average  man,  with- 


FIRST   LECTLiKE.  25 

out  the  most  authentic  confirmation,  he  will  regard  you  as  jest- 
ing or  even  falsifying,  and  ho  can  hardly  be  blamed  for  doing 
80,  for  it  seems  impossible  that  sane  men  should  seriously  en- 
tertain S'lch  notions.  It  requires  the  actual  studying  of  the 
homoeopathic  authors  themstilves  to  convince  some  persons  that 
this  is  the  actual  leaching.  Some,  perhaps,  will  go  from  this 
lecture  saying  that  Homteopathy  has  been  abused  and  misrep- 
resented, though  I  have  given  word  for  word,  from  standard 
homoeopathic  authors,  book  and  page,  authority  for  every  rep- 
resentation made. 

In  the  next  lecture,  I  shall  proceed  with  other  doctrines  of 
this  system,  quoting,  as  in  this,  from  their  authors,  and  i-efer- 
ring  to  the  places  where  the  words  may  be  found. 


HOMCEOPATHY, 


LECTURE    II. 


Gentlemen, — At  our  meeting  yesterday,  after  giving  a 
brief  sketch  cf  the  founder  of  the  system  of  Homoeopathy,  I 
presented  to  you  in  the  language  of  that  founder,  the  doctrines 
of  ^'-  similla  slmilibus  curantur,''''  of  prescribing  for  symptoms 
alone,  and  of  infinitesimal  doses. 

If  any  of  you  took  the  trouble  to  carry  the  data  given  for 
the  calculations  of  these  doses  to  your  homes  and  applied  your 
arithmetic  to  them,  you  have  substantially  verified  the  results 
as  stated,  and  you  have  advauced  towards  a  conception  of 
Hahnemann's  dilutions. 

Now,  to  avoid  the  utter,  repelling  absurdity  of  regarding 
such  quantities  of  common  matter  as  efficient  in  prodncing 
medicinal  effects,  Hahnemann  was  driven  to  another  position, 
viz  :  That  by  the  mode  of  the  preparation  of  the  medicine — 
by  the  triturations  and  shakings,  an  added,  dynamical  or  spir- 
itual power  was  communicated  to  these  crude  material  sub- 
stances. They  Avere  declared  to  be  "potentized," — and  the 
more  they  were  divided  and  rubbed  or  shaken,  the  more  of 
this  power  was  said  to  be  communicated. 

In  Hahnemann's  own  words,  "  a  great  liitherto  unknown, 
undreamt  of  change  occurred  in  them." 

So  much  of  this  new  power  did  he  regard  as  being  com- 


2S  SECOND    LECTURE. 

iiuuiic .le.l  by  these  manipulations,  iliat  lie  was  particular  in 
(liri'Cting  tliat  but  two  shakes  should  be  given  to  each  dilution 
or  potentization,  by  bringing  the  arm  down  in  a  particular 
manner,  lest  the  power  developed  should  be  too  great;  and  he 
cautioned  his  disciples  from  carrying  the  medicines  about  their 
persons  in  a  liquid  form,  lest  their  "  potency  "  should  become 
unmanageable. 

It  was  mentioned  in  the  account  of  Hahnemann,  that  he 
met  with  Mcsmer  and  became  imbued  with  his  notions.  This 
enthusiast,  (Mesjiier,)  observing  the  power  through  sympathy, 
which  one  person  may  exert  over  another,  and  the  peculiar 
conditions  into  which  some  persons  are  thrown  by  certain 
mental  and  physical  excitements,  induced  by  frictions  and  pas- 
ses, etc.,  went  to  an  absurd  extent,  aud  supposed  lie  was  able 
to  communicate  peculiar  powers  or  qualities  to  inanimate  bod- 
ies. To  show  the  extent  to  which  his  notions  led  him,  Mcsmer 
was  once  asked  what  baths  were  most  healthy;  he  answered  : 
"  Formerly  it  made  no  ditference  whether  a  bath  was  taken  in 
a  room  or  in  tlie  open  air ;  but  ever  since  I  have  magnetized 
the  sun  it  is  better  to  bathe  in  water  that  the  sun  is  shining 
upon  !  " — liau's  Oi'ga)ion,page  23. 

A  distinguished  i^hysician  at  Heidelberg,  was  so  strongly 
in  the  belief  of  this  power,  that  he  went  through  the  form  of 
magnetizhifi  the  University  building,  to  inspire  the  students 
with  a  higher  enthusiasm  for  Science.  Here  may  be  seen  the 
origin  of  splriUializing  notions.  If  Mesmer  could  potentize 
the  sun,  why  could  not  Hahnemann  add  a  new  power  to  medi- 
cines ? 

Whether  Hahnemann  was  a  real  believer  in  this  peculiar 
power  communicated  to  medicines  by  shirking  is  not  easy  to  be 
determined.  It  is  charitable  to  presume  that  he  was.  lu  one 
of  his  works,  entitled  his  "  Lesser  Writings,"  page  822,  he 
says:  '"this  result"  (of  potentization)  so  incomjjrehensible  to 
the  man  of  figures,  goes  so  far  that  we  must  set  bounds  to  the 
succussion  process,  in  order  that  the  degree  of  attenuation  be 
not  overbalanced  by  the  increased  potency  of  the  medicine, 
and  in  that  way  the  highest  attenuations  become  too  active.  If 


SECOND   LECTURE.  29 

we  wish,  for  example,  to  attenuate  a  drop  of  the  juice  of  Sun- 
deio  to  the  thirtieth  degree,  but  shake  each  of  the  bottles 
with  twenty  or  more  succussions  from  a  powerful  arm,  in  the 
hand  of  whicli  the  bottle  is  held,  in  tliat  case  this  medicine, 
which  I  have  discovered  to  be  the  specific  remedy  for  the 
frightful  epidemic,  Ilooping-Cougli  of  children,  will  have  be- 
come so  powerful  in  the  fifteenth  attenuation,  (spiritualized,) 
that  a  drop  of  it  given  in  a  tea-spoonful  of  water,  would  en- 
danger the  life  of  such  a  child  ;  whereas,  if  each  dilution-bot- 
tle was  shaken  but  twice  (with  two  strokes  of  the  arm,)  and 
prepared  in  tins  manner  up  to  the  thirtieth  attenuation,  a  su- 
gar globule,  tlie  size  of  a  poppy  seed,  moistened  with  the  last 
attenuation,  cures  this  terrible  disease  with  this  single  dose, 
without  endangering  the  health  of  the  child  in  the  slightest 
degree/' 

But  while  Hahnemann  warned  against  administering 
"  Sundew"  that  had  been  prepared  with  twenty  shakes,  Jeni- 
chens'  preparation  of  that  drug  in  the  500th  dilution  was  sha- 
ken 6,000  times  by  machinery, — at  each  dilution — -30,000,000 
times  in  all — and  yet  it  did  not  annihilate  patients,  but  cured 
hooping-cough  like  the  other  preparation.  —  British  Journal 
of  Homc^opathy^page  i^^. — Such  is  infallible  Homoeopathic 
"  experience  !  " 

Common  salt,  which  we  swallow  daily  with  our  food  in 
such  quantities,  Avhen  carried  to  the  thirtieth  dilution,  becomes, 
sayai  Hahnemann,  "a  powerful  and  heroical  medicament,  Avhich 
can  only  be  administered  to  patients  with  the  greatest  cau- 
tion," 

But  the  alcohol  used  in  the  preparation  of  medicines  has 
medicinal  properties,  and  should  not  they  be  increased  ? 
Hahnemann  to  get  over  this,  with  a  sort  of  method  in  his  mad- 
ness, throwing  a  dark  suspicion  upon  his  honesty,  coolly  tells 
the  world,  that  Alcohol  and  Wine,  though  having  medicinaV 
properties,  are  exceptions  to  all  other  substances,  and  are  not 
p>otentized  by  these  dilutions  1  His  words  are,  "  Wine  and  Al- 
cohol are   the  only  excitants   the  heating   and    intoxicating 


30  KECOND    LECTURE. 

eftects  of  winch  are  diminished  by  tlieir  dilution  with  water." 
—  Organon,  page  329. 

But  as  to  this  "  potentization,''  there  is  one  thing  he  over- 
looked, or  he  would  doubtless  have  had  other  exceptions. 
The  Sugar  of  Milk  used  for  trituration  is  not  a  simple,  but  a 
compound  Sugar.  According  to  Lagrange  aud  Vogtt,  ordi- 
nary specimens  of  it  contain  forty-seven  parts  in  1,000  of 
Phosphate,  Carbonate  and  Sulpliate  of  Lime  and  Potash  ; 
while  Simon  found  thirteen  parts  in  a  1,000  of  a  very  pure  ar- 
ticle, to  consist  of  these  Salts  :  Hence  in  lOO  grains  of  the 
first  trituration  of  any  homoeopathic  medicine,  there  is  only 
one  grain  of  the  medicine,  and  at  least  one  and  three-tenths, 
and  probably  as  much  as  four  and  seven-tenth  grains  of  the 
Salts  of  Lime  and  Potash.  In  the  second  dilution  there  will 
be  only  joioo  pai't  of  a  grain  of  the  medicine,  and  from  one  and 
three-tenths  to  four  and  seven-tenths  grains  of  Lime  and  Pot- 
ash, or  from  13,000  to  ■iVjOOO  times  as  much  Lime  and  Potash 
as  of  the  article  supposed  to  be  potentized.  In  the  third  dilu- 
tion there  will  be  from  1,300,000  times  to  4,700,000  times  as 
mnch  Lime  and  Potash.  What  it  will  be,  in  proportion  to  the 
other  articles,  in  the  thirtieth  dilution,  you  may  calculate  from 
these  data. 

Now,  it  must  be  remembered,  that  Potash  and  Lime  are 
regarded  as  medicinal  by  Homoeopaths.  Lime  being  capable 
of  producing  over  100  symptoms,  and  capable  of  potenti- 
zation ;  and  it  must  also  be  recollected  that  at  least  a  part  of 
these  comparatively  large  quantities  of  Lime  and  Potash  re- 
ceive as  much  potentization  by  trituration  as  the  other  articles. 
For  the  grain  of  medicated  Sugar  of  Milk  which  is  taken 
from  the  first  dilution  to  make  the  second,  contains  triturated 
and  potentized  Lime  and  Potash,  and  so  up  to  the  thirtieth  di- 
lution. 

All  the  so-called  homoeopathic  cures  with  triturated 
medicines  must  be  accomjianied  by  potentized,  or  spiritualized, 
or  magnetized  Lime  and  Potash — for  these  are  far  in  excess  of 
any  intended  homoeopathic  medicine — having  been  triturated 
and  potentized  like  them. 


SECOND    LKCTURE.  31 

Accidental  particles  of  Carbon  and  of  otlicr  substances, 
are  more  or  less  present  in  the  air  of  all  rooms,  and  in  alcohol 
and  water  however  carefully  distilled,  and  these  also  mingling 
with  the  medicine, would  be  triturated,  shaken,  and  potentizcd  as 
well  as  the  infinitesimal  particle  designed  to  be  treated;  and  the 
trituration  in  a  "  porcelain  mortar,  with  a  porcelain  pestle,'' 
would  necessarily  disintegrate  more  or  less  these  implements, 
and  thus  their  particles  being  commingled  with  the  mixture, 
would  become  potentized  as  Avell.  Now,  Hahnemann  (Or- 
ganon,  page  311,)  says:  "  All  raw  animal  and  vegetable  sub- 
stances have  a  greater  or  less  amount  of  medicinal  power,  and 
are  capable  of  altering  man's  health,  each  in  its  own  peculiar 
way  ;"  and  all  medicinal  substances  are  capable  of  this  potent- 
ization,  according  to  this  author,  except  "  alcohol  and  wine." 
Silex  is  the  principle  compound  of  most  mortars,  and  this  sub- 
stance is  particularly  declared  by  homoeopaths  to  be  a  medicine 
whichin  its  in  finitesimal,  millionths,  and  decillionths,  is  capable 
of  even  many  hundred  symptoms  more  or  less  formidable. 

According  to  Jahr'^s  Homoeopathic  Materia  3Ie(lica,  Silex 
or  Flint,  commonly  used  at  the  thirtieth  dilution,  produces  372 
different  symptoms,  many  of  them  lasting  as  long  as  seven  or 
eight  weeks.  These  symptoms  are  arranged  under  twenty-five 
heads — twenty  of  them  under  the  head  of  '■'■  moral  sym2'>toms,^'' 
and  are  as  follows,  viz. : 

"  Melancholy  and  disposition  to  weep ;  nostalgia ;  anx- 
iety and  agitation;  taciturnity — concentration  in  self;  in- 
quietude and  ill-humor  on  the  least  provocation,  arising  from 
excessive  nervous  irritability  ;  scruples  of  conscience  ;  great 
liability  to  be  frightened,  especially  by  noise  ;  discourage- 
ment; moroseness,  ill-humor  and  despair,  with  intense  weari- 
ness of  life  ;  disposition  to  fly  into  a  rage,  obstinacy  and  great 
irritability;  repugnance  to  labor;  apathy  and  indifference; 
weakness  of  memory;  incapacity  of  reflection;  great  destrac- 
tion  ;  tendency  to  misapply  words  in  speaking;  fixed  ideas, 
the  patient  thinks  only  of  pins,  fears  them,  searches  for  them, 
and  counts  them  carefully." — Jahr^s  Manuel  of  Homceopathie 
Mtdicine,  vol.  I,  page  532. 


32  SECOND    J.ECTUKE. 

Ilulini'iminii  warns  agaiiiHt  the  use  ol'  Silex  in  too  largo 
Uoses — seeming  to  forget  for  the  moment  that  the  "  potentiza- 
tion  "  increases  with  dilution.  lie  says:  "  In  fivct  dilutions  of 
Silex  to  the  billionth  or  trillionth  degree,  ^jroducc  effects  much 
too  violent ;  that  of  the  sextilliontli  degree  may  be  commenced 
with,  but  this  only  suits  robust  persons  ;  in  irritable  subjects  it 
is  prudent  to  use  only  tlie  dccillionth  dilution," — Zee's  Jlomce- 
opathii^pafje  5.  Now  tliis  powerful  agent  as  well  as  the  Salts 
of  Lime,  etc.,  must  be  in  every  me<licine  treated  by  strong 
triturations  in  a  mortar  witli  Sugar  of  Milk,  making  the  prepa- 
ration a  compound  and  not  a  single  substance,  thus  violating 
another  homoeopathic  precept  ,as  we  shall  soon  see. 

But  I  do  not  propose  at  this  point  to  argue  against  IIo- 
nucopathy,  but  simply  tell  you  xohat  it  is. 

The  account  respecting  the  preparation  of  these  homa.\ 
opathic  medicines  would  be  incomplete  did  I  not  give  another 
mode  of  preparing]thera,  practiced  by  some — first  by  Karsa- 
koff — and  spoken  of  by  Hahnemann.  This  is  a  method  by  a 
kind  of  infection — i^erforraed  by  f^hakiiig  one  duly  medicated 
drug  globule  with  several  thousand  imraedicated  globules, — 
these  immedicatcd  globules  becoming  duly  drugged  by  thus 
being  in  tJie  neighborhood  of  the  ^medicated  one.  "Expe- 
rience,'' shov/ed  these  globules  as  efficacious  "as  any.  Hahne- 
mann in  his  "Lesser  Writings,"  page  859,  says:  "Since  a 
single  dry  globule  imbued  with  a  high  medicinal  dynamization, 
communicates  to  13,500  unmedicated  globules,  with  which  it 
is  shaken  for  five  minutes,  medical  power  fully  equal  to  xohat 
it  possesses  itself^  \s'\'(\\o\\\i  suffering  any  diminution  of  power 
itself,  it  seems  ^hat  this  marvelous  communication  takes  place 
by  means  of  proximity  and  contact,  and  is  a  sort  of  infection^ 
bearing  a  strong  resemblance  to  the  infection  of  healthy  per- 
sons by  a  contagion  brought  near,  or  in  contact  Avith  them." 

The  method  of  contagion  is  by  particles  of  mor- 
bid germinal  matter  passing  from  a  person  afiected  with 
a  particular  specific  disease,  as  small-pox,  to  another 
person,  through  the  air  or  by  contact  of  the  persons ; 
and  this  living,  morbid,  germinal  matter,  multiplying  in  the 


SECOND    LECTUKK.  33 

blood  and  other  parts  of  tlio  body  into  which  it  is  received,  at 
lengtli  comes  to  exist  in  sufficient  amount  to  produce  the  same 
disease.  Thus  a  single  germ,  however  small,  by  multiplica 
tion,  receiving  nourishment  and  the  elements  of  growth  iVom 
the  body  in  which  it  is  operating,  becomes  sufficient  in  quan- 
tity to  produce  effects.  But  medicines — particles  of  dead 
matter,  incapable  of  growth  and  multiplication,  can  have  no 
likeness  to  contagion  in  communicating  their  properties  from 
one  mass  to  another,  or  to  the  living  body.  It  will  thus  be 
seen  that  the  operation  of  very  small  particles  ot  vaccine  or 
other  kinds  of  virus,  cannot  with  any  propriety,  be  used  to 
illustrate  the  supposed  effects  of  imponderable  quantities  of 
medicines. 

The  next  point  of  the  homoeopathic  plan  is  the  method  of 
administering  these  medicines  thus  prepared. 

The  most  common  method,  perhaps,  is  by  means  of  pellets, 
or  little  sugar  globules,  the  size  of  a  mustard  seed,  more  or 
less — about  300  of  which  have  had  a  drop  of  a  "potentization" 
placed  upon  them  when  massed  together,  the  liquid  evaporat- 
ing, leaving  the  medicinal  "  aura,"  as  Hahnneman  calls  it,  at- 
tached to  these  little  globules.  One  or  more  of  these  are  placed 
upon  the  tongue,  often  at  intervals  of  some  days,  in  chronic 
cases,  the  alleged  effects  frequently  continuing  for  weeks.  In 
other  cases,  a  drop  or  more  of  the  liquid  dilution  is  put  in  a 
tumbler  of  water  and  a  teaspoonful  more  or  less  frequently 
given.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  a  single  grain  of  the 
drug  at  the  thirtieth  dilution,  the  one  most  recommended,  if  the 
whole  was  elaborated  into  pellets  or  globules,  and  these  were 
placed  side  by  side  in  a  eonlhiuous  row,  they  would  form  a  line  so 
longthat,  light  traveling  at  the  rate  of  six  trillions  of  miles  a  year, 
would  require  millions,  and  millions,  and  millions  of  centuries 
to  pass  from  one  end  of  this  line  to  the  other,  and  any  one  of 
these  globules,  picked  out  of  this  extended  row  of  them,  is  the 
proper  dose !  Or,  if  a  solution  be  used,  a  single  grain  would 
be  dissolved  in  an  ocean  of  water,  many  millions  of  millions 
of  millions  of  times  broader  and  deeper  than  all  the  collected 
oceans  of  the  earth,  and  one  drop  from  this  would  be  the  best 


34  SECOND   LECTURE. 

aiul  most  appropriate  doso,  curing  witli  tlie  utmost  certainty  !   ! 

Surely  this  is  not  less  marvelous  than  the  effect  of   Cervantes' 

drop  of  water. 

We  would  suppose  that  Hahnemann  had  severely  enough 

taxed  the  credulity  of  his  followers  in  these  recommendations, 

but  as  the  result  of  his  "Experience,"  in  his  later  practice,  he 

recommended  that  one  of  these   globules   should   be   merely 

snielled. 

Writinc;  in  18;33,  Ilalnicinanii  ol)scrvcs — "all  that  liomtropathy  is 
capable  of  curing,  will  be  most  safely  and  certainly  cured  by  this 
mode  of  Olfaction.  I  can  scarce!}-,"  he  adds,  "  name  one  in  a  hundred  out 
of  the  many  patients  who  have  souglit  the  advice  of  myself  and  assist- 
ant durinii"  the  past  year,  whose  chronic  or  acute  disease  we  have  not 
treated  with  the  most  happy  results,  tioldy  by  vwdns  of  thin  Olfactioii. 
Durinir  the  latter  half  of  this  year,  moreover,  I  liave  become  convinced 
of  what  1  never  could  previously  have  believed,  that  by  this  mode  of 
Olfaction,  the  power  of  the  medicine  is  exercised  upon  the  patient  in  at 
least  the  same  degree  of  strength,  and  that  more  quietly,  and  yet  just  as 
long,  as -when  the  dose  of  medicine  is  taken  by  the  mouth;  and  that, 
consecpiently,  the  intervals  at  which  the  Olfaction  should  be  repeated, 
should  not  be  shorter  than  in  the  ingestion  of  the  material  dose  by  the 
mouth." — {Organon,  p.  IJ32.) 

In  the  Organon^-^.  332,  Hahnemann  observes — "all  that 
liomecEpathy  is  at  all  capable  of  curing  *  *  will  be  most 
safely  and  certainly  cured  by  this  mode  of  Olfaction.  *  * 
The  power  of  the  medicine  is  exerted  upon  the  patient  in  at 
least  the  same  degree  of  strength,  and  that  more  quietly,  and 
yet  just  as  long  as  when  the  dose  of  medicine  is  taken  by  the 
mouth  ;  and  that  consequently,  the  intervals  at  which  the  Olfac- 
tion shoiild  be  repeated,  should  not  be  shorter  than  in  the  in- 
gestion of  the  material  dose  by  the  mouth." 

Dr.  Gross,  of  Germany,  a  high  authority,  recommends  the 
same  method,  with  the  higher  dilutions,  allowing  but  one  smell, 
often,  and  waiting  for  four  weeks  or  so  for  the  completion  of 
the  cure. — {I)r.  Yorbes'  Review^  vol.  xxii,  p.  668. 

Hahnemann  directed  his  patients  to  smell  the  dried  glo- 
bules, or  dissolving  one  or  two  in  water  and  spirits,  the  nose 
was  to  be  held  over  this  solution.  He  dwells  upon  the  super- 
iority of  this  method  of  administration,  and  says  that  a  globule 
moistened  with  the  thirtieth  dilution  and  then  dried,  "  retains 
for  this  purpose  (of  Olfaction)  all  its  powers  for  at  least  eight- 
een or  twenty  years  (My  experience  extends  this  length   of 


SECOND   LECTUKK.  35 

time),  even  though  the  phial  be  opened  a  thousand  times  dur- 
ing that  period,  if  it  be  but  protected  from  lieat  and  the  sun's 
light."  '•  In  little  children,  it  may  be  applied  close  to  their 
nostrils  whilst  they  are  asleep,  with  the  certainty  of  producing 
an  effect.  And  this  is  much  preferable  to  any  other  mode  of 
administering  the  medicaments  in  substance  by  the  mouth." — 
{Organon,  p.  332.) 

One  of  his  disciples,  a  Dr.  Crosiero,  says — "My  own  wife 
was  cured  by  him  in  this  manner,  of  a  violent  pleurisy,  in  the 
course  of  five  hours." 

Not  only  did  Hahnemann  use  by  Olfaction  medicines 
which  in  sensible  quantities  were  evaporable,  but  also  those 
which  were  not.  In  the  following  quotations  from  his  work 
entitled,  Zicsser  Writings,  p.  821,  we  have  not  only  this  notion 
of  Olfaction  enforced,  but  a  repetition  of  the  doctrine  of  poten- 
tizations,  and  a  statementof  the  method  of  trituration,  and  the 
surprising  efficacy  of  this  method  of  treatment. 

According  to  Hahnemann,  even  the  olfaction  or  smelUng  of  sub- 
stances which  have  no  smell  may  produce  immediately  direct  and  decid- 
ed therapeutic  effects.  "  If,"  says  he,  "  a  grain  of  gold  leaf  be  triturated 
strongly  for  an  hour  in  a  porcelain  mortar  with  one  hundred  grains  of 
sugar  of  milk,  the  powder  that  results  (the  lirst  trituration)  possesses  a 
considerable  amount  of  medicinal  power.  If  a  grain  of  this  powder  be 
triturated  as  strongly  and  as  long  with  another  hundred  grains  of  sugar 
of  milk,  the  preparation  attains  a  much  greater  medicinal  power,  and  if 
this  process  be  continued,  and  a  grain  of  the  previous  trituration  be 
rubbed  up  as  strongly  and  for  as  long  a  time,  each  time  with  a  fresh  hun- 
dred grains  of  sugar  of  milk,  until,  after  fifteen  such  triturations,  the 
quintillionth  attenuation  of  the  original  grain  of  gold  leaf  is  obtained, 
then  the  last  attenuations  do  not  display  a  weaker,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
the  most  penetrating,  the  greatest  medicinal  power  of  the  whole  of  the 
attenuations.  A  single  grain  of  the  last  (quintillionth)  attenuation  put 
in  a  small  clean  phial,  will  restore  a  morbidly  desponding  individual, 
with  a  constant  inclination  to  commit  suicide,  in  less  than  an  hour  to  a 
peaceful  state  of  mind,  to  love  of  life,  to  happiness,  and  horror  of  his 
contemplated  act,  if  he  perform  but  a  nngle  Olfaction  in  the  phial,  or 
put  on  his  tongue  a  quantity  of  this  powder  no  bigger  than  a  grain  of 
sand." — Simpson,  p.  76. 

Another  of  Hahnemann's  rules  in  regard  to  the  exhibition 
of  medicines  is  expressed  in  the  Organoti,  pp.  319,  320.  "In 
no  case  is  it  requisite  to  administer  more  than  one  single  sim- 
ple medicinal  substance  at  one  time."  The  true  physician 
"  never  thinks  of  giving  of  a  remedy  but  a  single  simple  med- 
icinal substance,"  for,  he  adds,  "itis  impossible  to  foresee  how 


no  SECOND   LKCTURE. 

two  and  move  medicinal  substances  niigiit,  wlion  compounded, 
obstruct  and  alter  cjjch  other's  actions  on  the  human  body." 

I  need  not  tell  you  that  Opium,  for  example,  contains  seven 
chrystalline  active  principles,  besides  some  fifteen  other  less 
important  distinct  substances.  Ilomrcopathists  often  use  some 
of  these  separately;  as  morphia,  narcotin,  etc.,  and  opium 
with  all  its  parts  is  often  used  by  thorn. 

But  should  a  single  simple  medicated  substance  be  used, 
professedly,  I  have  already  shown  that  in  the  sugar  there  are 
others — and  from  the  mortar  which  must  be  worn  in  the  pro- 
cess of  trituration,  silex,  alum,  and  other  substances  are  de- 
tached, and  *' potentized"  as  well  as  the  intended  article.  We 
see,  therefore,  that  this  dogma  is  not  comjilied  with.  Tlomce- 
opathists  constantly  use  compound  substances;  and  to  use 
Hahnemann's  own  expression,  "  A  compound  could  never 
make  a  shnjyle — in  all  eternity,  never."  I  suppose  not,  even 
by  trituration  and  dilution.  By  using  the  rules  of  trituration 
of  solid  substances  Avith  sugar  of  milk  in  a  mortal',  a  globule 
never  was  made  that  was  not  a  compound  ;  if  indeed,  there  is 
any  medicine  at  all  in  each  of  these  i^articlcs. 

Another  and  essential  part  of  the  Homoeopathic  system,  is 
the  alleged  ascertaining  of  the  symjitoms  which  drugs  are 
capable  of  producing,  so  as  to  know,  on  the  principle  of  shn- 
ilia  similibup,  the  symptoms  they  arc  capable  of  CKving. 

In  order  to  obtain  this  knowledge,  homoeopaths  profess  to 
have  recourse  to  several  sources  of  information;  as,  1st,  ob- 
serving and  arguing  upon  the  known  effects^of  some  special 
medicines  in  particular  diseases.  2d.  Noting  the  symptoms 
excited  by  poisonous  doses  of  drugs  on  the  healthy ;  but  third- 
ly, and  principally,  they  claim  for  this  purpose  to  have  made 
numerous  direct  experiments,  or  "  provings,"  as  they  are 
termed,  of  various  drugs  by  exhibiting  them  cither  in  large  or 
in  infinitesimal  doses,  to  people  either  in  a  state  of  health,  or 
of  disease,  and  then  watching  and  collecting  the  effects,  or 
"artificial  symptoms"  that  ensue. 

This  is  the  last  distinctive  feature  of  the  system  of  homoe- 
opathy Avhich  I  shall,  with  much  fullness,  present;  and  I  shall 


SECOND    LECTURE.  37 

criticise  it  in  passing,  as  I  intend  to  criticise  tlie   other  doc- 
trines in  review. 

As  to  the  first  method — that  of"  observing  and  inferring 
from  the  known  effects  of  some  medicines  in  special  diseases 
— the  artificial  symptoms  tliat  may  be  produced  by  them  as 
a  basis  of  their  liomoeopathic  use,  it  must  be  regarded  as  un 
philosophical,  and  by  no  means  in  harmony  with  the  other  two 
modes  of  obtaining  such  information.  For  an  example,  the 
use  of  iodine  is  known  to  cure — to  modify  the  morbid  nutri- 
tion in  the  disease  of  the  thyroid  gland,  known  as  Goitre ;  but 
iodine  when  taken  by  persons  in  health  was  j^never  known  to 
cause  the  goitre.  Certainly  I  never  knew  a  single  pei-son  of 
the  thousands  whom  I  have  known  to  take  iodine  or  its  com- 
pounds, to  have  goitre  produced  by  it.  It  has  never,  so  far  as 
I  know  or  believe,  produced  anything  resembling  goitre.  If  it 
cures  this  disease,  it  should,  according  to  the  homoeopathic  law, 
be  able  to  cause  it.  But  it  does  not.  Whatever  the  theory, 
such  is  not  the  fact.  Still,  the  "  immutable  law  "  has  caused 
Jahr  aud  others  to  place  goitre  among  the  "symptoms"  of 
iodine.  Whether  this  is  reasoning  in  a  circle,  or  reasoning  at 
all,  you  must  judge. 

The  symptoms  produced  by  poisonous  doses  of  medicine, 
as  recorded  in  the  works  on  Toxicology,  homoeopathists  profess 
to  make  great  use  of  in  determining  their  efliects.  They  re- 
gard these  effects  as  symptoms  which  infinitesimal  doses  ought 
to  cause,  though  to  a  slighter  extent,  and  hence,  of  course, 
ought  to  cure. 

Opium,  for  example,  in  poisonous  doses  produces  coma, 
stupor,  asphyxia,  etc.,  and  according  to  this  law,  is  indicated 
in  infinitesimal  doses,  or  at  least  in  some  doses,  in  diseases 
presenting  these  symptoms;  and  though  given  in  doses  ever  so 
small,  theoretically,  it  must  produce  an  effect — an  artificial 
medicinal  disease  somewhat  greater  in  degree  than  the  stupor 
against  which  it  is  given.  Hahnemann  repeatedly  says  the 
remedy  must  produce  a  medicinal  disease  "  somewhat  greater 
in  degree  than  that  which  existed  before,  in  order  to  over- 
come it." 


r?8  SECOND    LECTURE. 

But.  these,  minute  doses  never  produce  any  effects  of  this 
kiiul.  Certainly  no  regular  physician  ever  saw  such  effects, 
:nul  many  of  our  most  eminent  and  conscientious  men  have 
looked  for  them  with  care.  Still  the  Homoeopaths  insist,  when 
driven  to  the  Inst  point — and  they  must  do  so  or  yield  u|)  all 
— that  these  homa-opathic  medicines  effect  the  system  at  the 
the  very  point  where  the  disease  effects  it,  and  in  a  similar 
manner,  ))ut  yet  so  as  to  overcome  the  morbid  action.  But 
these  arc  theoretical  assumptions,  unsustained  by  proofs  ;  and, 
as  we  believe,  contrary  to  both  facts  and  reason. 

Now  the  symptom,  stupor,  for  which  opium  would  be  given, 
because  in  large  doses  it  jiroducos  stuj)or,  may  arise  from  a 
variety  of  proximate  causes — from  the  state  of  the  brain  ex- 
isting in  concussion — from  compression  of  that  organ — from 
blood  poisoning— from  arrested  nutrition  of  the  brain  in  a  great 
variety  of  diseases — from  nervous  exhaustion,  etc.  But  in 
prescribing  for  symptoms  "alone,"  as  Hahnemann  taught,  these 
various  circumstances  are  disregarded — the  remedy  seems  to 
be  considered  as  incorporating  itself  with  the  symptom,  and 
through  similarity,  antagonizing  it,  and  by  a  greater  force, 
though  in  infinitesimal  doses,  overcoming  it.  This  is  the  ho- 
moeopathic claim.  But  what,  we  ask,  is  there  to  sustain  this 
claim  ?  Is  there  cither  fact  or  reason  ?  These  questions  we 
are  to  consider  aa  we  proceed. 

But  the  direct  "  provings"  are  mostly  relied  upon,  and 
professedly  from  these  chiefly,  the  horaceopathic  books  on  Ma- 
teria Medica  are  filled  with  "  symptoms,"  some  specimens  of 
which  have  already  been  given.  On  these  provings,  Hahne- 
mann says,  "  depend  the  exactitude  of  the  whole  medical  art, 
and  the  weal  of  all  future  generations  of  mankind;"  and  mod- 
ern horaeccpaths  claim  great  credit  on  this  score.  The  exact- 
itude and  "  reliability"  of  these  "provings,"  then,  require  our 
special  attention. 

Now,  how  have  these  provings  been  made?  Incon.luct- 
inf^  the  experiments,  Hahnemann  and  his  disciples  at  first  used 
the  ordinary  doses  of  the  drugs;  but  afterwards  they  made 
their  observations  with  infinitesimal   globules   and   dilutions. 


SECOND    LECTURE.  39 

The  Britisli  Journal  of  Ilomoeopatliy,  vol.  vii,  p.  342,  says — 
"  The  bulk  of  symptoms  of  the  so-called  anti-psoric  remedies, 
recorded  in  Hahnemann's  "  Chronic  Diseases,"  were  derived 
1st.  From  trials  with  medicines  given  in  globules  in  the  thir- 
tieth dilution  ;  and  2d.  From  the  observations  of  patients  to 
whom  the  medicine  was  given  for  their  diseases  (also  of  the 
thirtieth  dilution)." 

Hahnemann  in  a  later  edition  of  his  Organon,  p.  218,  ad- 
vises the  thirtieth  dilution  as  the  best  doses  for  proving  the 
medicinal  power  of  drugs.  He  also  says,  while  under  proving?, 
"  all  symptoms  observed  are  to  be  attributed  to  the  medicine." 
As  these  symptoms  are  laid  down  in  .Jahr's  Manual,  orlTempel's 
Materia  Medica,  in  most  instances  we  are  not  informed  whether 
the  alleged  facts  are  derived  fx'ora  a  knowledge  of  the  curative 
effects  of  the  agents  in  special  diseases,  and  inferences  as  to 
the  symptoms  that  ought  to  be  produced,  according  to  the 
"infallible  law,"  which  "  all  the  experience  in  the  world"  can- 
not disprove  ;  whether  from  recorded  observations  of  their 
poisonous  effects,  or  from  experiments  or  "provings"  proper  ; 
and  if  fi'om  provings,  we  do  not  know,  as  a  general  rule, 
whether  with  ordinary  doses  or  infinitesimals ;  whether  upon 
well  persons  or  sick;  upon  impressible  imaginative  persons,  or 
those  of  cooler  temperament ;  whether  upon  those  Avho  are 
truthful  and  reliable,  or  upon  the  untruthful  and  unreliable. 
We  have,  in  most  of  the  cases,  only  the  symptoms  themselves 
to  judge  from  ;  and  judging  from  them,  Avhat  must  be  our  con- 
clusions ?  In  the  works,  however,  where  some  of  the  details 
of  the  provings  are  given,  as  is  the  case  in  Hempel's  Materia 
Medica,  and  Dr.  E.  M.  Hale's  Homoeopathic  Materia  Medica 
of  the  New  Remedies,  recently  published  in  Detroit,  by  Dr. 
E.  A.  Lodge,  they  arc  with  every  variety  of  dose,  from  poison- 
ous ones  down  to  the  thirtieth  degree,  centesimal  scale  ;  and  the 
alleged  effects  on  healthy  persons  at  the  thirtieth  dilution  are 
recorded  with  the  same  apparent  confidence  as  the  effects  of 
the  large  quantities ;  and  all  aggregated  together,  they  go  to 
make  up  the  medicinal  symptoms  which  are  to  be  the  guides 
in  selecting  these  medicines  for  application  to  similar  symptoms 


40  SKCONU    LECTURE. 

of  tliseasi'.  Tlie  prcsuinption  then  is,  thai  in  these  accounts  of 
the  cfleots  of  medicines  in  Jdhr's  Manual,  tlie  data  are  of  this 
miscellaneous  character. 

The  best,  however,  that  I  can  do  on   this  subject  of  the 
jirovings  is  to  give  some  S2)ecimens  from  standard  homa'opathic 
authors.     As  specimens,  let  us  take  from  Jahr's  Materia  Med- 
ica  an  account  of  the  effects  of   Comui07i  Salt  and    Carh.  of 
L'unc,  or  White  Chalk: 

"Coinnion  novsE  or  table  Salt  {Natrum  Muriaticum,  as  Julir  terms 
it,)  when  ])rovc'd  upon  a  lu'althy  ])crson,  can  cause  al)ove  four  luindml 
mill  liftji  syniptoins,  antl,  consequently,  is  capable,  on  the  lioma'oputliic 
principle,  of  lurinL,'  many  of  these  symptoms  when  I  hey  occur  similarly 
in  (lill'erent  states  of  disease.  Acconliin;  to  .Jahr,  House-salt  is  usually 
employed  in  iloses  of  the 'JOtli  or  :50th  dilution,  or,  in  other  words,  in 
doses  of  the  quadrillionth  or  decillionlh  of  a  n;raiu  ;  and  the  duration  of 
a  dose  of  its  cH'ects  lasts,  in  chronic  atfectious,  from  forty  to  fifty  days. 
lie  describes  the  symptoms  supposed  to  be  produced  in  man  l)y  doses 
of  House-salt,  andof  other  drui^s,  under  tiie  several  lieads  of  "General 
Symptiiuis,"  and  .■symptoms  observed  in  the  "Skin,"  "Sleep,"  "  Fever," 
"  Head,"  "  Kyes,"  "  Ears,"  "Nose,"  etc.,  etc.  The  mere  enumeration 
of  the  symptoms  produced  in  these  various  parts  by  House-salt,  occu- 
jiics  about  six  pages  in  Jahr's  work.  To  cite  them  all  would,  conse- 
(luently,  occupy  more  space  than  we  can  bestow  upon  them.  But  the 
followinjj  is  an  abridged  list  of  some  of  the  ])rincipal  symptoms  which 
this  drug  is  averred  to  be  capable  of  producing,  and  hence  also  of 
curing." — .Simpson,  p.  83. 

Symptams  jyroduced  hy  Common  House  Salt. 

"  Rigidity  of  all  the  joints,  when  they  are  moved."  "  Tendency  to 
experience  dislocation,  and  to  strain  the  back."  "  Paralysis."  "  Swelling 
of  the  elands."  "  IJad  ellecis  of  a  disappointment."  "  Great  relaxation 
of  all  tTie  physical  and  moral  powers  after  fatigue."  "Great  drowsiness 
during  the  day."  "Kclarded  sleep  and  sleeplessness  at  night,  witli  in- 
ctlectual  ellbrts  to  go  to  sleep."  "  Agitated  sleep,  full  of  vivid  and  las- 
civious dreams."  "Frightful  dreams  of  quarrels,  murders,  fires,  thieves, 
etc."  "At  night,  pains  in  the  back,  quivering,  apparently  of  the  nerves, 
frequent  emission  of  mine,  headache,  colic,  astlunatic  suflerings,  and 
great  anguish  of  body."  "  Typhus  fever,  with  debility."  "Anguish, 
sometimes  during  a  storm,  bul  esjjccially  at  ni'dit."  '•Hatred  to  per- 
.sons  who  have  formerly  given  olfense."  " Awlcwardness."  "Painful 
confusion  in  the  head,  vertigo,  with  shocks  in  the  head,  and  dizziness." 
"Sensation  on  moving  the  head  as  if  the  brain  Avavcred."  "Tendency 
of  the  head  to  l)ecome  ea.sily  chilled."  "Spasmodic  closing  of  the  eye- 
lids, especially  in  the  morning,  in  the  evening  (during  the  twilight),  and 
at  night."  "Tinkling,  ringing,  rumbling,  and  humniing  in  the  ears." 
"Numbness  and  insensibility  of  one  side  of  the  nose."  "Boring  in  the 
l)ones  of  the  nose."  "Drawing,  like  extraction  in  the  teeth,  exten.ling 
into  the  ear  and  throat  after  a  meal,  and  at  night,  with  swelling  of  the 
cheek."  "Speech  embarrassed  in  consequence  of  the  heaviness  of  the 
tongue."  "Prolonged  sensation  as  of  hair  on  the  tongue."  "Spasms 
in  the  throat."  "Loss  of  appetite,  especially  for  bread,  and  repugnance 
to  tobacco  smoke."  "  Palpitation  of  the  heart,  and  intermittent  or  ac- 
celerated pulse."  "Disagreeable  rising-s,  after  partaking  of  fat  food  or 
milk."    "  Shocks  and  elawings  in  the  pit  of  the  stomach."     "  Drawing, 


SECOND    LECTURE.  t  I 

tension,  pressure,  priekino-,  and  shoolini^sin  thehcpalic  rc-^ion."  "Puin 
and  sliootings  in  tiie  splenic  region."  '•  Protrusion  of  licrnia."  "  Kx- 
coriation  of  llie  Inittocks,  especially  wlien  walking."  "  Excessive  ex- 
citement of  the  amative  feeling,  or'dulness."  "Accumulation  of  mucus 
in  the  larynx  in  tiie  morning."  "Choking  spasmodic  cough  in  bed  in 
the  evening."  "Wheezing  respiration  in  hed  in  the  evening."  "Con- 
tnsive  pain  and  feeling  of  paralysis  in  the  sacrum,  especially  in  the 
morning."  "Tearing  across  the  loins  and  hips."  "  Nocturnal  pains  in 
the  baclv,"  "  Digging  in  the  arms,  shocks  in  the  elbows."  "  Ditlicidly 
in  bending  the  joints  of  the  fingers."  "  Ninnerous  Haws  in  the  nails." 
"Burning  in  the  feet."  "Redness  of  the  great  toe."  "Corns  on  the 
feet,  with  .shooting  and  boring  pains,"  etc.,  etc.,  etc. — {J<i]irx  Mannid  of 
Ilomoiopathic  Medicine,  vol.  i.  p.  380,  ct.  seq.) 

Let  us  take  another  example.  Carbonate  of  Lime,  or  Ciiai.k, 
{Calmrea  Carbonica,)  exists  in  most  vegetables,  and  is  contained  in 
greater  or  less  quantity — but  in  doses  larger  than  the  Ilalinemannic — 
in  almost  eveiy  water  which  man  drink.s.  It  is  found,  (says  Dr.  Pere- 
ira,)  even  in  the  purest  of  waters,  viz.,  in  rain  water.  Carbonate  of 
Lime  is,  according  to  Jahr,  usually  employed  in  thedoseof  adecillionth, 
or  in  the  thirtieth  dilution  ;  and  the  duration  of  its  effects  is  fifty  days 
in  chronic  atfections.  According  to  the  provingsof  the  homo?opathists. 
Carbonate  of  Lime  is  capable  of  producing  above  one  thouxuhd  symp- 
toms. Out  of  this  immense  number  of  effects,  we  select  the  following 
as  specimens  of  the  symptoms  it  may  cause,  antl  hence  may  cure. 

Symptoms  produced  by  Chalk  or  Carbonate  of  Lime. 

"  Shooting  and  drawing  pains  in  the  limbs,  chiefly  at  night,  or  in 
summer,  and  in  change  of  weather."  "  Great  tendency  to  strain  the 
back  in  lifting."  "  Strong  desire  to  be  magnetized."  "  Emaciation,  with- 
out failure  of  appetite."  "  Great  plumpness,  and  excessive  obesity." 
"  On  walking  in  tlie  open  air,  sadness  with  tears."  "  Visible  quivering 
of  the  skin  from  head  to  foot."  "  Encysted  tumors,  which  are  renewed 
and  suppurate  every  month."  "  Swelling  and  distortion  of  the  bones." 
"  Flaws  in  the  fingers."  "  Sleeplessness  from  activity  of  mind,  or  in  con- 
sequence of  voluptuous  or  frightful  images  which  appear  as  soon  as  the 
eyes  are  shut."  "  Snoring  during  sleep."  "  Dreams,  frequent,  vivid, 
anxious,  fantastic,  confused,  frightful  and  horrible."  "  Dreams  of  sick 
or  dead  persons."  "  At  night,  agitation,  asthmatic  suffering,  anxiety, 
heat,  pains  in  the  stomach,  and  in  the  pra^cordial  region,  thirst,  beatings 
of  the  head,  toothache,  vertigo,  headache,  fear  of  losing  the  reason,  and 
many  other  sufferings."  "  Quotidian  fever  towards  two  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  with  yawning  antl  cough,  a  desire  to  lie  down  at  least  for 
three  hours,  after  which  the  hands  become  cold."  "Tertian  fever  in  the 
evening."  "  Disposition  to  weep,  even  about  trifles."  "  Vexation  and 
lamentation  on  account  of  old  offences."  "  Anxiety  and  anguish  excited 
by  fancies,  or  frightful  stories."  "  Disposition  to  take  alarm ;  apprehen- 
sions." "  Fear  of  being  ill  or  unfortunate ;  of  sad  accidents,  of  losing 
the  reason  ;  of  being  infected  by  contagious  diseases."  "  Discourage- 
ment and  fear  of  death."  "  Excessive  ill-humour,  and  mischievous  in- 
clination ;  with  obstinacy,  and  a  disposition  to  take  everything  in  bad 
part."  "  Disgust  and  aversion  to  all  labour  whatever."  "Delirum,  with_ 
visions  of  fires,  murders,  rats  and  mice,  etc."  "  Head  compressed  a.s  if 
by  a  vice."  "  Dizziness  after  scratching  behind  the  ear."  "V'ertigo  alter 
a  fit  of  anger."  "  Headache  from  having  wrapped  the  head  in  a  hand- 
kerchief." "  Pains  in  the  head  aggravated  by  spirituous  drinks."  "Draw- 
pains  in  the  right  side  of  the  head."  "  Piercing  iu  the  forehead,  as  it 
the  head  was  going  to  burst."  "  Pains  of  hammering  in  the  head. 
"  Icy  coldness  in,  and  especially  on  the  right  side  of  the  head.      "Move- 


42  SECOND   LECTURE. 

mcnt  of  tlic  brain  in  walkiiic;."  "  Iinincnso  size  of  the  licad."  "Stroiiff 
(lisposilion  to  take  cdIiI  llirouu:!!  lin!  lu'ail."  "  Smarting  on  reading  dnr 
ing  tiu'  (lay,  or  l»y  candle  light."  "  Flow  of  blood  from  the  eyes."  "La- 
chrymal suppurating  fistula."  "Pupils  greatly  dilated."  "  Cfmfusion 
of  sight  as  if  there  were  a  mist."  "Great  da/zling  from  too  strong  a 
light."  "Purulent  di.seharge  from  the  cars."  "Polypus  in  the  cars." 
"Cracking  and  detonation  in  the  ears  when  chewing."  "FuHid  smell 
from  the  nose."  "  Sense  of  smell  dull,  or  exceedingly  sensitive."  "Fcetid 
odour  before  the  nose,  asif  from  a  dunghill,  rotten  eggs,  or  gunpowder." 
"Face  i>alc  and  hollow,  with  eyes  sunk  and  surrounded  by  a  livid  cir- 
cle." "  FaHid  odour  of  the  teeth. — Fistulous  ulcers  in  the  gums  of  the 
lower  jaw."  "  Kanula  under  the  tongue."  "  Hawking  up  of  mucus." 
"  IJepugnancc  to  tobacco  smoke ;  desire  for  salt  things,  fc^'  wine,  and  for 
dainties."  "Pressure  on  the  stomach,  with  squeezing  as  if  from  aclaw." 
"  Inability  to  wear  tight  clothes  round  the  hypochondria."  "  Incarcer- 
ation of  flatulency."  "  Pressure  of  wind  towards  the  inguinal  rings,  as 
if  hernia  were  about  to  ]irotrude."  "  Before  the  evacuation,  gr?at  iras- 
cibility. After  the  evacuation,  dejection,  aud  relaxation  of  the  limbs." 
"  Fre(iuent  protrusion  of  luemorrhoidal  excrescences  during  the  evacu- 
ations." "Ikirning  eruption  in  the  form  of  a  cluster  in  tlie  arms." 
'■  Wetting  the  bed."  "  Pol3^psus  of  the  bladder."  "  Prolapsus  uteri." 
"  Varices  in  the  labia  majora."  "  Pain,  as  of  excoriation  and  ulceration, 
in  the  nip))les."  "  Ulceration  of  tlic  larynx."  "  Cough  excited  Ity  play- 
ing on  the  piano."  "Urgent  inclination  to  inspire  deeply."  "  Pains,  as 
of  tlislocation  in  the  loins,  ])ack,  and  intheneck,  as  if  caused  by  a  strain." 
"Swelling  and  distortion  of  the  spine."  "Rigidity  of  the  neck."  "Sup- 
puration of  the  axillary  gland."  '"Swellings  of  the  veins  of  the  hands." 
"  Warts  on  tlie  arms  and  on  the  hands."  "  Contraction  of  the  fingers." 
"The  legs  go  to  sleep  when  one  is  seated,"  etc.,  etc.,  etc. — JaUr's  Man- 
ual of  JJomoiojxitJdc  Medici?ies,  vol.  i.  p.  108,  et  seq. 

Perhaps  it  is  proper  to  add,  in  order  to  show  the  fantastical  allec- 
tation  of  exactitude  in  these  homoeopathic  provings  and  symptom.s,  that 
some  of  the  homo3opatIiic  drugs  produce,  and  therefore  remove,  partic- 
ular symptoms,  only  when  they  occur  under  particular  circumstances 
or  conditions.  We  have  seen  above,  that  carbonate  of  lime  causes,  and 
consequently  removes,  "  cough,"  wlien  "  excited  by  plajing  on  the 
piano."  A  dose  of  Rhododendron  causes  toothache  during  a  storm,  and 
hence  cures  toothache  when  it  supervenes  during  a  storm. — Jalir's  Ma- 
teria Mcdica,  vol.  i.,  p.  488. 

The  most  charitable  construction  wc  can  give  to  all  this 
is,  that  Hahnemann,  like  Mesmer,  and  Mohammed,  and  Swc- 
denborg,  and  Joe  Smith,  and  Ann  Loe,  etc.,  though  in  a  dif- 
ferent si)here  from  any  of  these,  was  an  enthusiast — the  founder 
of  a  sect ;  was  followed  by  disciples ;  expected  to  upturn  and  do  - 
stroy  the  system  of  medicine  of  his  time,  in  the  practice  of  which 
he  had  failed  of  success ;  and  this  added  fuel  to  the  flame 
within  him,  and  like  them,  ho  "  saw  visions  and  dreamed 
dreams  :"  and  as  was  said  by  Whipple  of  Swedenborg,  "his 
perceptions  of  abstractions  were  no  intense  that  they  seemed 
to  have  reached  that  point  where  thoughts,  and  imaginations, 
and  ideas,  become  sensible  to  sight  as  well  as  sensation,  and 


SECOND   LECTURE.  43 

lohat  he  thouyht  he  sa?o,"  And  all  these  enthusiasts  have 
found  followers  who  through  imitation  have  repeated  their  ex- 
travagances, or  from  interested  motives  have  professed  their 
faith. 

Connected  with  this  condition  of  mental  excitement  is 
not  unfrequently  a  quality  of  disingenuousness,  as  in  the  case 
of  Mohammed  and  Smith — their  integrity  being  not  above 
suspicion.  However,  in  this  respect,  it  may  have  been  with 
Hahnemann, — his  "  provings"  were  most  fanciful,  often  absurd, 
and  generally  entirely  unreliable ;  and,  in  this,  his  followers 
have  certainly  been  led  by  his  example. 

X)r.  John  C.  Peters,  of  New  York,  formerly  among  the  lead- 
ing men  in  theHomceopathic  School,  but  who  long  since  seeing 
the  absurdity  of  its  doctrines,  renounced  it,  and  has  taken  an 
honorable  position  in  the  ranks  of  the  regular  profession,  says 
it  has  taken  him  a  great  many  years  to  find  out  that  Plahne- 
man  drew  more  upon  the  stores  of  our  old  Materia  Medica  for 
his  indications  for  the  use  of  medicines,  than  he  did  upon  his 
own  provings  upon  the  healthy,  or  upon  the  law  of  "  Slmilia 
Simillbus  Ciirantury 

Thus  Arnica,  though  claimed  by  Homoeopaths  to  be  their 
discovery,  and  homoeopathic  to  bruises,  etc.,  yet  as  early  as 
the  sixteenth  century,  it  had  received  the  name  of  "  Panacea 
Ijapsorum^^''  by  Dr.  Fehr  ;  and  a  large  number  of  continental 
physicians  used  it  for  bruises,  ecchymoses.  etc.,  but  not  on  tlie 
homoeopathic  principle,  or  in  infinitesimal  quantities. 

The  remedy  most  frequently  used  by  most  |Homocopaths 
in  acute  diseases  is  Aconite.  They  pretend  to  have  estab- 
lished by  their  "provings"  that  it  is  homoeopathic  to  fevers 
and  inflammations  ;  and  is  used  in  infinitesimal  doses  to  coun- 
teract these  conditions.  But  the  fact  is.  Aconite  never  caused 
a  fever  nor  an  inflammation.  It  acts  much  like  Vcratrum  Vir- 
ide,  Tartar  Emetic,  and  other  depressing  agents  when  given 
in  perceptible  doses.  In  infinitesimal  doses,  of  course,  it  has 
no  effect.  When  given  in  free  doses,  as  it  is  by  many  Homoe- 
opaths, it  is  an  antipathic  remedy  in  inflammation. 

Dr.  Ilempel,  though  professing  to  believe  in  "  poteutiza- 


J  t  SECOND   LECTURE. 

lions"  aiitl  '*  proviiigs,"  l)y  infinitesimal  doses,  (lie  quotes  such 
proviuLTs,  nuil  adn\its  tlu  ir  value  \y\wn  lluy  answer  liis  pur- 
]i<)se),  in  liis  Materia  Mcdica,  vol.  i,  p.  58-9,  says  that  much 
of  Hahnemann's  "provings,"  especially  of  what  is  termed  the 
" anti-psories,"  is  entirely  imreliable.  His  Avords  are  :  "If 
we  had  no  other  testimony  to  offer  in  favor  of  Homoeopathy 
than  the  provings  of  thc^  anti-psories,  our  cause  would  not  be 
worth  the  ink  it  rcq.iired  to'print  them.  "^'  *  It  seems  in- 
credible that  such  a  mass  of  vague,  childish,  ill-defined  symp- 
toms as  arc  recorded  in  the  four  volumes  of  the  "Chronic  Dis- 
eases," should  have  been  accepted  by  earnest  and  sober-minded 
men  as  the  pure  effects  of  drugs.  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that 
attenuated  raediehies  generally  are  unfit  to  develope  symi:»toms; 
wc  have  abundant  evidence  that  the  sixth,  twelfth,  and  even 
higher  potencies  have  affected  the  organism  in  health  in  their 
own  characteristic  and  peculiar  manner."  He  goes  onto  say  : 
"  Entertaining,  as  I  do,  a  philosophical  belief  in  the  efficacy  of 
attenuated  drugs,  and  in  the  doctrine  of  Dynamisation,  as  de- 
veloped by  Hahneman  ;  yet  I  cannot  refrain  from  expressing 
a  regret  that  the  system  of  proving  attenuated  drugs  should 
have  been  so  extensively  adopted  in  our  school.  *  *  If  the 
attenuations  arc  used  first  without  any  previous  saturation  of 
the  organism  by  the  concentrated  tincture  of  the  original  drug, 
perceptible  symptoms  are  scarcely  ever  obtained  beyond  the 
third  attenuation.  *  *  Our  j\lateria  jMedica  is  unfortunately 
flooded  with  a  deluge  of  trilling,  unmeaning,  unreliable  symp- 
toms. A  perfect  symptomania  seemed  at  one  time  to  have 
taken  possession  of  our  school.  Such  men  as  Ilering,  Boen- 
uinghaujen,  Gross,  fanned  this  incipient  aberration  into  a  per- 
fect fury  of  symijtom-hunting.  *  *  Ilering's  provings  in 
particular,"  he  regards  as  imreliable.  "  Xot  one  of  the  numer- 
ous jirovings  with  which  this  gentleman  has  overloaded  our 
Materia  Medica,  will  stand  the  test  of  a  rigorous  critical  anal- 
ysis." But  what  will  ?  He  goes  on  to  denounce  them  as 
"  fancy  pictures,"  and  speaks  of  the  "  Augean  Stable  of  our  Ma- 
teria Medica." 

Speaking  of  a  particular  article  on  page 00,  he  says:  "wc 


SECON'D    LECTURE.  45 

shall  find  at  a  later  stage  of  our  course,  that  tlio  efFccts  of 
this  poison,  as  exhibited  in  tlie  '  American  Provings,'  are 
tainted  with  all  the  defects  Avhich  distinguish  many  of  our 
modern  provings  generally.'''' 

If  then  much  of  the  more  ancient  provings  of  Hahne- 
mann are  "  not  worth  the  ink  it  required  to  print  them,"  and 
the  modern  provings  of  Ilering,  Gross  and  others,  who  are  re- 
garded as  the  brightest  lights  of  their  school,  are  even  still 
more  worthless,  "  betraying  "  as  he  says,  "  a  lack  of  accuracy 
of  observation,  correctness  of  delineation,  and  adaptability  to 
the  treatment  of  disease,"  what  value  can  we  place  upon  any 
of  these  observations,  all  of  them  having  apparently  the  same 
general  character  ? 

But  an  English  Surgeon,  A.  Henriques,  who  is  a  professed 
Horaoeoi^athist  and  has  written  the  most  jilausible  apology  for 
what  he  regards  as  Homoeopathy  of  any  I  have  seen,  takes  an 
entirely  difterent  view  of  the  provings  of  the  founder  of  the 
system,  and  of  his  rules  of  practice.  He  says  :  "Had  Hahne- 
mann simply  contented  himself  with  placing  before  the  public 
the  records  of  his  unparalleled  experiments  with  pharmaceu- 
tic agents  upon  his  fomlly  and  friends — had  he  been  content 
with  a  mere  exposition  of  his  discovery  of  the  rules  by  which 
remedial  agents  should  be  selected  in  given  cases  of  disease — 
had  he  done  this  instead  of  exposing  the  absurdity  of  potter- 
ing in  thg  '  dead-house '  to  discover  the  nature  of  diseases, 
and  scoffing  at  the  idea"  (as  he  did)  '-'of  consulting  the  labora- 
tory and  the  microscope  to  reveal  the  mysterious  curative 
pow^ei'S  of  the  Materia  Medica ;  it  is  my  firm  conviction  that 
the  reformed  method  of  treatment  according  to  the  Hahne- 
mannic  School  of  Therapeutics,  would  long  ere  this  have  been 
recognized  throughout  the  world,  and  received  universal  tri- 
umphant assent,  as  the  best  form  of  art  devised  since  the  Hi- 
pocratic  Era." 

Thus  this  disciple  makes  these  provings,  Hahnemann's 
chief  merit — while  Hempel  declares  very  much  of  them  sheer 
nonsense;  but  yet  he  (Hempel)  gives  in  his  Materia  Medica, 


4G  SECOND   LECTURE. 

similar  "  [>rov'inc;s"  as  the  pure  gospel  of  Ilomd'ojtalhy  direct 
IVdin  Heaven. 

Take  for  illustration  the  symptoms  produced  l)y  sulpliiir, 
tlic  chief  alleged  anti-psoric,  an  article  contained  in  sensible 
quantities  in  most  of  our  nitrogenous  food,  inhaled  in  very  sen- 
sible quantities  every  time  we  light  a  match,  an  article  which 
pervades  our  atmosphere  from  the  coal  we  burn,  infects  us  from 
the  "rubber"  wo  wear,  and  the  "hair  restoratives"  many  ap- 
ply— this  article  so  constantly  within  us — an  element  in  many 
of  our  tissues,  yet  as  "  proved"  by  administering  homoeopathic 
attenuations,  produces,  according  to  Dr.  Ilempel,  a  catalogue 
of  "symptoms"  which  I  should  fear  would  exhaust  your  pa- 
tience for  me  to  enumerate  in  full. 

He  says,  "  The  Vienna  Prover's  Union  has  instituted  re- 
proving s  of  Sulphur,  which  m.'jy  be  said  to  constitute  one  of 
the  most  brilliant  and  instructive  pages  in  our  Materia  Medica" 
— and  it  is  presumed  the  symptoms  about  to  be  quoted  are 
from  this  brilliant  page.  Tlicy  are  arranged  under  the  va- 
rious groups,  Nervous,  Cephalic,  Orbital,  Auricular,  Nasal, 
etc.,  and  were  produced,  some  by  massive  doses  of  one  or 
two  hundred  grains,  while  others  were  caused  by  "  attenua- 
tions," the  massives  and  the  infinitesimals  apparently  produc- 
ing the  same  effects.  Here  arc  specimens  of  the  symptoms : 
"Urawing-burning  pain  at  the  top  of  the  head;  Dull  headache, 
deep  in  the  left  orbit,  sometimes  increasing  to  a  drawing 
tlirobbing ;  Absence  of  mind ;  Sensation  as  if  a  hair  Avas 
pulled,  in  the  case  of  a  prover  who  is  bald  ;  Rush  of  blood  to 
the  head  with  a  roaring  in  the  ears,  burning  and  creeping  in 
the  f^xce.  A  similar  symptom  was  obtained  by  a  prover  dur- 
ing an  experiment  with  the  liigh  lyotencies  ;  Heat  and  confu- 
sion in  the  head,  with  noise  like  the  boiling  of  water,  rushing 
out  of  both  cars  ;  Drawinrj  and  tearing  pains,  especially  in 
the  fingers,  long  bones,  back,  muscles  of  the  nock ;  Boring 
pain  in  the  ankle  joint ;  Shooting  pains.'' 

One  case  of  proving,  in  a  student  of  medicine,  to  Avhich 
Dr.  Herapel  calls  particular  attention,  I  will  venture  to  read  in 
full. 


SECOND   LECTURE.  47 

"For  three  weeks,  I  may  have  taken  three  times  daily, 
five  globules  moistened  with  the  tincture  of  Sulphur,"  (how 
much  will  the  spirits  dissolve  ?)  wlion  I  experienced  a  slioot- 
ing  pain  here  and  there  m  the  abdominal  parietes,  especially 
in  the  inguinal  region,  at  one  time  in  the  left,  at  another  time 
in  the  right  side ;  this  pain  sometimes  lasted  a  short  time, 
sometimes  longer,  but  regularly  went  otF  in  the  warmth  of  the 
bed.  As  I  did  not  believe  that  these  wandering  pains  were 
caused  by  the  Sulphur,  I  continued  to  take  it.  About  a  week 
after  the  first  appeai'auce  of  the  shooting  pains,  there  occurred, 
after  the  slightest  exercise,  a  very  troublesome  feeling  of  fa- 
tigue. The  shooting  pains  noAV  gradually  declined,  but  in  their 
stead  occurred  contractive  pains,  especially  in  the  muscles  of 
the  thighs,  which  often  proved  a  serious  obstacle  to  my  walk- 
ing. In  four  days,  these  contractive  pains  were  felt  deeper,  as 
if  in  the  bones,  especially  in  the  femora  and  right  tibia.  The 
head  of  the  right  tibia  became  veiy  painful,  and  could  not 
bear  the  slightest  touch,  and  after  the  slightest  exercise  I  had 
to  go  and  lie  down.  Now,  almost  convinced  that  these  symp- 
toms must  be  the  effect  of  the  Sulphur,  I  intended  to  leave  it 
off,  but  as  I  had  a  few  more  globulos,  I  took  them  all.  The 
consequence  of  this  was  that  the  pains  attained  such  a  degree 
of  intensity  as  almost  to  render  walking  impossible.  The  very 
next  day,  when  I  took  no  more  globules,  the  pains  became  less 
intense,  and  in  tlii'ee  days  more,  were  all  gone.  I  have  gained 
the  conviction  that  medicines,  even  in  very  small  doses,  are  ca- 
pable of  producing  the  most  violent  effects." 

Who  that  knows  the  quantity  of  Sulphur  we  all  daily  take 
into  our  systems  can  believe,  that  these  sugar  globules  mois- 
tened with  the  Tincture  of  Sulphur  could  produce  all  these 
effects  ?  Is  there  not  a  possibility  of.  this  student  of  medicine 
wishing  to  make  a  sensation  among  these  homoeopathic  pro- 
fessors? Or  if  the  effects  occurred,  were  they  not  dependant 
upon  some  other  cause  ? 

But  to  proceed  with  other  symptoms  laid  down  by  Dr. 
Ilcmpel :  "  (Quivering  and  luminous  appearances  before  the 
right  eye ;    Lightning  flashes  before  the  eyes  at  night ;  Fire 


48  SECOND    LliCTUKE. 

buniiiig,  like  sparks,  on  the  skin  of  the  right  upper  lid;  shoot- 
pain  througli  the  pupils  ;  Boring  pains  in  the  external  meatus ; 
Inflamed  spot  on  the  nose;  Thickening  and  swelling  of  the 
right  nasal  bones;  Tickling  in  the  right  nostril,  followed  by 
discharge  of  thick  blood  ;  Shining  and  swelling  of  the  tip  of 
the  nose ;  Sensation  as  if  he  were  smelling  soap-suds ;  Raw 
l)ain  in  the  left  commissure  of  the  mouth  ;  Burning  on  the 
right  cheek,  as  from  hot  drops  of  fluid ;  Itching  of  the  left 
eye  and  cheek ;  A  crack  in  the  upper  lip  ;  Digging  pains  in 
sound  teeth ;  Drawing  pains  in  upper  teeth  ;  Weariness  after 
eating;  Sneezing  with  discharge  of  fluid  mucus  from  the  left 
nostril ;  Kaging  i)ain  in  the  sternum ;  Spitting  of  blood ;  In- 
creased pulsation  of  aorta;  Sleeplessness  with  disturbed 
dreams  about  v.ild  beasts  and  death,  hence,  useful  in  tendency 
to  ni(jht)tiare\  Palpitation  of  the  heart,  during  the  attack,  is 
characteristic  of  Sulphur." 

But  these  will  sufllce.  As  to  the  dose,  Dr.  Ilempel  says 
"  curative  results  may  be  depended  ujDon  from  the  lowest  as 
well  as  the  highest  dilutions;  but  in  chronic  pulmonary  aflec- 
tions,  you  will  find  the  middle  and  higher  potencies  preferable 
to  the  lower.''  It  will  be  remembered  that  higher  are  the 
thirtieth  degree  and  upwards. 

Dr.  Hempel  closes  his  lecture  on  Sulphur  with  these 
words  :  "If  you  would  conquer  the  great  mind  of  the  profes- 
sion, then  let  me  urge  you  to  ever  think  of  Homoeopathy  with 
hearts  full  of  reverence  for  the  consistency  and  nniversality  of 
her  teachings,  as  a  doctrine  of  life,  a  heavenly  truth  which 
will  not  fail,  if  properly  imderstood  and  universally  ap- 
plied, to  link  earth  and  heaven  in  one  great  cycle  of  sensual 
refinement,  intellectual  beauty,  and  social  and  religious  har- 
mony ! '' 

This  jDassage  must  have  been  inspired  by  the  reflection 
upou  Hahnemann's  doctrine  of  the  kinship  of  the  Itch  Miasm 
and  original  sin,  and  the  hope  of  Sulphur  curing  both. 

These  extracts  are  from  IlempeVs  Materia  Medicay  Vol. 
lyPJJ'  810  to  826. 

In  looking  at  these  Symptoms  thus  gravely  recorded,  and 


SECOMn    LECTUKE.  49 

at  the  marvelous  cures  reported  to  have  been  efi'ected  by  this 
and  other  similar  homoeopathic  remedies  in  infinitesimal  doses, 
we  are  forcibly  reminded  of  the  language  of  Dr.  llempel, 
when  criticising  a  reported  cure  of  a  child  Avith  an  eruption 
of  the  skin,  by  Apis,  he  said,  "  it  had  as  much  to  do  with  the 
cure  as  the  Comet's  tail."  This  article,  Apis,  was  reported  by 
these  provers  to  produce  1350  symptoms;  reported  in  the 
same  manner  as  other  provings,  and  declared  to  be  capable  of 
curing  all  these  symptoms,  and  "  experience  "  in  actual  cases 
of  disease  was  adduced  as  in  otl.er  cases  to  confirm  these 
views  :  and  yet  Dr.  llempel  rejects  it  all  with  contempt  and 
ridicule.  He  further  confesses:  '■'^  Many  of  our  drugs  have 
obtained  a  reputation  and  a  name,  not  because  their  provings 
can  at  all  be  relied  upon  as  therapeutic  indications,  but  be- 
cause an  empirical  use  has  secured  for  them  a  sort  of  prescrip- 
tion-right. Lachesis  is  one  of  them."  We,  of  course,  believe 
that  in  infinitesimal  doses  all  their  pretended  remedies  are  in 
this  category;  and  that  these  articles  have  as  much  to  do  with 
the  cures  that  are  reported  from  them,  as  "  the  Comet's  tail.'' 
He  addsof  Xac/«3s/5  .•  "The  halo  of  glory  that  has  surrounded 
this  secretion,  proves  upon  closer  examination,  to  emanate 
from  the  sraoke  of  iimcy  as  much  as  from  the  light  of  truth." 

I  shall  leave  you,  gentlemen,  to  make  the  further  applica- 
tion of  this  language,  as  we  look  at  other  statements  of  these 
men.  We  are  not  now  groping  in  the  regions  of  the  past, 
calling  up  vagaries  of  remote  and  darker  times. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Henriques,  and  Hempel  are 
men  of  our  day,  and  it  is  presumed  representatives  of  certain 
present  phrases  of  Homoeopathy,  though  the  latter  may  be  re- 
garded by  some  of  his  School  as  belonging  rather  to  the  past. 
But  the  very  latest  work  with  which  I  am  acquainted  on  Hom- 
oeopathic Materia  Medica,  that  of  Dr.  E.  M.  Hale,  Professor  of 
Mat.  Med.  in  the  Hahnemann  Medical  College^  Chicago^  pub- 
lished in  1867  (the  work  already  referred  to)  presents  us  with 
"provings"  of  the  same  general  character. 

As  an  example  we  will  take  the  "provings"  of Ilgdrasttn 
Canadensis  or  Golden   Seal.     We   are  informed  that  these 


50  SECOND   LECTCJBE. 

provinjjjs  were  inaile  by  students  of  the  Pliiludolpliia  Ilomcpo- 
patliic  College,  under  the  direction  of  one  of  their  Professors, 
during  the  Session  of  1866  and  '67.  The  "  potentization"  was 
made  before  the  class  after  Hahnemann's  direction  on  the 
"Centesimal  Scale,"  carried  up  the  30  degree,  but  instead  of 
two,  twenty-five  hard  shakes  were  given  to  each  potency. 

The  first  case  related  is  that  of  Aug.  Earndoefer,  who  on 
Nov.  Tth,  1S60,  it  being  as  is  stated  the  "Ncav  Moon,"  "took 
one  dose,  (whether  a  whole  drop,  or  one  of  a  cluster  of  sugar 
pellets  moistened  with  a  drop  is  not  said)  of  the  thirtieth  'po- 
tency of  the  new  American  tincture,  prepared  by  Dr.  Lippe, 
before  the  class."  "  Nov.  8th,  8f  a.  m.,"  related  as  the  effect 
of  that  dose  he  had—"  Slight  headache,  first  on  the  right  side, 
mainly  in  the  temporal  region,  then  passing  to  the  left  tempo- 
ral region,  leaving  the  left,  returning  to  the  right,  lasting  a  few 
moments  and  then  leaving  altogether."  After  relating  some 
other  sensations  of  a  similar  character,  it  is  recorded  that  at 
"11  A.  M.  sneezing  in  the  sun  caused  flickering  in  the  eyes." 
This  prover  adds,  parenthetically,  that  he  had  "been  troubled 
with  this  flickering  for  many  years,  when  exerting  myself  or 
standing  long  in  the  sun." 

He  then  goes  on  giving  his  sensations  and  symptoms  on 
the  9th,  10th,  11th,  12th,  13th,  Uth  to  20th,  all  from  this  one 
dose  taken  on  the  7th,  among  which  are  the  following  :  "Sharp 
pain  behind  the  right  ear  for  one  moment,  passing  down  to 
the  right  shoulder,  back  of  the  clavicle,  about  midway  between 
arm  and  neck."  At  II  o'clock,  a.  m.  on  the  9th,  "sneezing 
caused  a  fullness  of  the  head,  between  temples  and  forehead." 
He  adds  in  a  parenthesis :  "  I  seldom  ever  sneeze  when  I  have 
a  cold,  and  can  scarcely  attribute  this  to  anything  but  the 
medicine."  The  next  day,  "  9  a.  m.,  sneezing,  causing  sharp 
pain  in  right  breast,  between  the  third  and  fourth  ribs,  to  the 
right  arm,  down  the  arm  and  forearm,  half  way  to  the  wrist." 
"  Nose  feels  as  if  plug  were  in  it,  under  the  nasal  bone ;"  "wa- 
tery coryza  from  right  nostril ;"  "  a  little  blood  and  dry  cory- 
za from  left  nostril ; "  "bleeding  from  the  left  nostril  quite 
profuse,  nose  itched  a  great  deal  after  bleeding ;"  "  Flickering 


SECOND   LECTURE.  SI 

before  the  eyes  in  a  bright,  yellow  light ;  streaks  in  squares^ 
always  making  three  sides  of  a  square."  "  Constant  sensation 
in  both  groins  as  if  I  strained  myself  from  taking  a  very  long 
step."  "  Sensation  of  a  hair  in  the  right  nostril,  under  the  na- 
sal bone  at  its  lowest  border."  "  In  writing  make  wrong  let- 
ters," ete.  etc. 

The  next  prover  took  five  drops  of  the  Tincture  on  the  3d, 
lip.  SI.  The  next  day  he  "  sneezed  after  breakfast,  from  tick- 
ling in  the  right  nostril,  left  stopped  up."  On  the  6th  he  had 
"  dryness  and  stoppage  of  the  nose,  with  scabs  in  the  nose,'' — 
"  great  disposition  to  stretch  the  body  backwai-ds,  arms  up- 
wards, with  yawning."  "  Aching  pain  in  the  left  elbow,  with 
snapping  in  the  shoulder  joint  Avheu  rotating  the  arm,"  etc., 
etc.  On  the  whole  this  man  did  not  suflfer  quite  as  much  trom 
five  drops  of  the  tincture  as  the  other  did  from  the  drop,  or 
hundreth  of  a  drop  of  the  30th  dilution  ;  a  quantity  so  infinitely 
small  as  to  be  utterly  inconceivable,  as  we  have  seen — but  he 
sufiered  in  a  somewhat  similar  manner.  In  all  probability 
both  of  them  had  a  coryza,  or  what  is  popularly  called  an  "in- 
fluenza cold,"  which  was  doubtless  prevailing  at  the  time. 

Another  prover  took  a  dose  of  the  thirtieth^  on  his 
tongue  just  before  going  to  bed,  and  among  a  variety  of 
other  things,  we  are  gravely  told  that  on  the  fifth  day  after, 
he  "  had  a  desire  for  eggs."  The  day  following  this,  he  "took 
one  drop  on  going  to  bed."  The  next  morning,  he  "  felt  de- 
spondent;  better  after  "quizzing"  in  the  evening.  Quite 
cheerful  at  11  p.  m."  These  were  all  Homoeopathic  students; 
but  another  man  "  25  years  old ;  a  mechanic  and  clerk,''  had 
not  so  much  made  of  his  case.  "Oct.  31st. — Took  a  drop  on 
tongue,  3  o'clock."  "  Nov.  1st,  on  getting  up  a  dull  pain  in 
the  head  which  went  away  in  a  few  minutes.  In  the  after- 
noon, had  heart-burn,  as  he  termed  it,  which  he  had  not  had 
before  for  almost  a  year.  I  could  get  no  more  symptoms  from 
him,  and  he  declined  to  take  any  more  medicine,  being  some- 
what afraid  of  it." 

On  p.  55,  et  sequel  much  prominence  is  given  to  the 
"proving  "  in  the  case  of  "A,  aged  34,  sanguine-billious  tern- 


51  SECOND    LKCTUEB. 

p  jrainent,  trouble!  with  constipation  for  tho  last  five  years;  nn- 
retVcshinjj  sleep,  languor  in  the  morning."  "Oct.  31st,  11  r. 
M. — On  retiring  to  hcd,  took  one  drop  of  the  30th  potency  in 
a  tablespoonfnl  of  water.  Slept  well  all  night;  felt  quite  re- 
freshed in  the  morning,  5  o'clock.  No  des're  for  further 
rest — very  good  humored.  Kyes  somewhat  agglutinated. 
Half  an  hour  after  breakfast  had  "usual  movement  of  bowels" 
followed  by  "a  profuse  discharge  of  biight-red,  arterial  blood, 
lastiTig  for  about  a  minute."  "  Had  sensation  all  day  as  if 
hemorrhage  might  be  repeated."  "10a.  jr.,  gloomy,  taciturn, 
disagreeable  towards  his  acquaintances.  An  hour  after,  head- 
ache— sleepiness  in  the  r.  3i.,  etc.  Nov.  2d,  another  hem- 
orrhage froifi  the  bowels.  The  account  goes  on  to  the  5th  of 
Nov.,  giving  symptoms  of  congestion  of  the  liver  and  of  a 
cold,  or  acute  catarrh,  affecting  the  bronchia ;  the  bleeding 
from  the  bowels  being  caused,  i.i  all  i)rol)ability,  by  a  hem- 
orrhoidal difficulty  the  consequence  of  his  protracted  con- 
stipation and  obstruction  of  the  liver,  aggravated  into  hem- 
orrhage at  the  time  by  the  irritation  of  the  mucous  membranes, 
the  usual  effect  of  such  a  cold.  All  this  so  apparent  to  an  intel- 
ligent physician,  is  recorded  as  the  effect  of  the  "  proving  "  of 
this  single  infinitesimal  dose,  of  this  comparatively  mild  medi- 
cine ! 

On  page  1093,  we  have  an  account  of  tlie  "proving"  by 
one  who  was  quite  ill  at  the  time  such  "proving"  commenced. 
The  account  says  :  "  On  Nov.  10th,  a  German,  Henry  Kusel, 
aged  23,  came  to  me  troubled  with  a  sore  throat,  roughness 
and  raw  feeling  when  he  talked,  and  severe  cold  in  the  head, 
together  with  some  other  symptoms."  After  going  on  to 
Nov.  18th — "I  gave  him  a  drop  of  the  remedy,  30th.  Next 
morning  he  complained  of  his  cold  being  worse  than  it  bad 
ever  been  ;  but  soon  commenced  to  abate  and  in  the  evening 
he  felt  very  much  better." 

"Nov.  20th. — He  said  liis  cold  was  entirely  gone,  but  that 
his  throat  was  not  so  well,  and  had  grown  slowly  worse  since 
he  had  taken  this  medicine  ;  he  also  spoke  of  being  in  high 
spirits;  everything  looked  bright,  and  he  felt  happy  and  he 
wanted  to  sinij." 


SECOND   LECTURE.  63 

I  need  not  say  to  you  who  are  inedical  students,  that  the 
time  for  the  spontaneous  breaknig  up  of  the  cold  had  doubt- 
less come,  but  this  case  is  given  as  showing  the  effect  of  the 
medicine,  and  of  "  proving  "  its  powers  ! 

A  considerable  number  of  other  *'  provings  "  are  given,  oc- 
cupying from  the  1085  to  the  1102  pages  of  the  work  inchisive, 
all  of  the  same  general  character.  Among  them  three  young 
women  -were  subjects  of  the  experiment.  "  Miss  S.  30  years, 
temperament  sanguine-nervous.  Nov.  2d,  18G6,  took  at  bed- 
time one  drop  of  the  30th  potency.  Sometime  after  1  o'clock 
A.  M.,  sleep  disturbed  by  an  irritation  of  the  skin  and  puden- 
dum, compelling  scratching,  which  relieved." 

Various  sensations  were  experienced  for  a  few  days,  such 
as  irritation  of  the  throat,  bowels,  etc.,  "with  a  dragging, 
bruised  feeling  in  the  ovax'ian  regions  ;"  and  the  account  is 
closed  with  the  remark — "during  the  proving  ^nore  cheerful 
than  usual.     Affections  active."     p,  109C. 

On  p.  1099  the  "  provings"  with  "Miss  M."  are  related. 
She  "took  one  drop  of  the  30th."  "Had  pain  at  night  but 
too  sleepy  to  notice  where."  "  The  next  day,  morning,  a 
spasmodic  pain  commencing  under  the  right  clavicle  and  ex- 
tending down  to  the  right  side  of  chest  and  back;  felt  the 
pain  twice,  severely,  when  laughing,  could  not  finish  the  laugh; 
exhilaration  of  spirits,  and  a  feeling  of  lightness  and  happi- 
ness ;  less  languor  from  fatigue  than  usual." 

On  the  same  page  the  provings  w^ith  "Miss  V.,  age  twenty 
years,  temperament  lymphatic,"  are  given. 

She  "  took  on  Thursday  evening  one  drop  30th  ;  a  sharp 
pain  in  the  right  side  in  the  region  of  the  liver,  extending  to 
shoulder  blade  ;  etc.  A  yellow  appearance  of  the  skin,  partic- 
ularly around  the  mouth  and  neck ;  a  feeling  of  sickness  and 
languor,  lasted  a  whole  week,  with  depressed  S2}lrits  and  sad 
manner.^'' 

It  will  be  particularly  noticed  that  in  these  three  last  cases 
the  same  drop  of  the  30th  dilution  is  described  as  causing  in 
two  of  them,  lightness  of  spii-it  and  happiness,  and  in  the 
other,  depressed  spirits  and  a  sad  manner. 


54  SECOND   LECTURE. 

I  have  presented  witli  so  much  particularity  the  account  of 
these  "  provings  "  as  conducted  at  the  Homa3opathic  College 
at  Philadelphia,  and  recorded  in  this  new  work  of  Dr.  Hale, 
upon  -svhich  conclusions  are  to  be  based  respecting  the  virtues 
and  lioina'opathic  applications  of  Golden  Seal,  because  of  the 
great  importance  given  by  Iloniojopatlis  to  this  whole  matter 
of  provings  ;  and  "we  have  here  presented  a  phase  of  Homoeo- 
pathy, not  as  it  was  held  three-quarters  of  a  century  ago,  be- 
fore the  light  of  the  present  advanced  state  of  science  was  shed 
abroad,  but  as  it  is  at  the  present  time,  in  its  latest  manifesta- 
tions.    And  what  a  picture  is  afforded  ! 

Another  circumstance  connected  with  these  experiments, 
all  of  which  it  will  be  noticed  commenced  about  the  same 
date,  should  be  understood.  On  page  1085  Dr.  Hale  says: 
"These  provings  were  the  result  of  a  mutual  understanding 
between  the  teachers  of  Materia  Medica  at  Chicago  and  Phil- 
adelphia. The  provings  of  the  students  of  Hahnemann  Col- 
lege, (Chicago)  could  not  be  finished  and  prei)ared  for  publi- 
cation in  time  to  be  incorporated  herewith."  Why  this  was  so, 
we  are  not  informed.  Could  not  "  potencies  "  be  prepared  and 
given  as  speedily  in  Chicago  as  in  Philadelphia  ?  Is  Chicago 
such  a  slow  place  that  the  results  could  not  be  as  readily  record- 
ed and  prepared  for  publication  there  ?  Or  does  not  the  30th 
dilution  of  Hydrastis  operate  as  speedily  or  in  the  same  tcaym 
the  younger  as  in  the'older  city  ? 

It  seems  to  me  that  no  influenza,  or  generally  prevailing 
coryza  was  in  Chicago  at  [the  time,  as  evidently  prevailed 
among  these  students  in  Philadelphia ;  and  simiLar  "  symp- 
toms "  were  therefore  not  obtained.  Facts  within  my  own 
knowledge,  renders  this  neither  an  unreasonable  or  uncharita- 
ble supposition.  At  the  present  time  as  formerly,  then,  in 
these  "  provings,"  ordinary  and  infinitesimal  doses  are  used  in- 
discriminately— the  same  efiects  supposed  to  be  produced  by 
each,  and  the  same  upon  the  well  and  the  sick. 

Nowif  by  trituration  and  shaking  a  new  power  is  added — 
"a  new  and  unheard  of  power,"  would  not  this  make  a  difier- 
ence  in  the  character  of  the  efi'ects  ?     If  an  ordinary  dose  of 


SECOND    LECTURE.  65 

deiodroj)  may  be  givea  without  marked  efiects  of  any  kind, 
but  when  just  enougli  "potentized "  it  will  cure  Hooping- 
cough  ;  if  too  much,  as  Hahnemann  asserts,  it  may  kill  a  child, 
can  the  effects  be  the  same  of  the  drug  in  all  of  its  condi- 
tions ?  So  the  matter  is  regarded  in  the  *'  provings  " — no  dis- 
tinctions are  made. 

Again  it  is  claimed  by  Homoeopaths,  that  their  remedies 
produce  effects  in  disease  in  such  small  doses,  because  of  the 
great  sensitiveness  of  the  diseased  parts  to  their  action. 
They  must  then  act  more  powerfully,  and  quite  differently  in 
disease  than  in  health.  Indeed,  it  is  claimed  also,  that  they 
cure  disease  by  seizing  upon,  and  drawing  out,  and  uniting 
with  the  morbid  element.  How  different  then  must  be  the  ac- 
tion in  health  and  disease  ;  and  yet  the  provings  are  upon  both 
sick  and  well  persons,  and  the  pretended  symptoms  from  eacb 
are  indiscriminately  jumbled  together  in  the  works  of  homoe- 
opathic Materia  Medica !  When  a  symptom  from  a  drug  is 
given,  we  are  not  generally  told  in  the_text  books  whether  the 
effect  was  realized,  (or  imagined)  from  a  large  dose  or  a  small 
one — a  crude  or  a  potentized  article — operating  upon  the  sick 
or  well.  We  don't  know  whether  from  one  or  many  doses — 
whether  continued  a  long  or  a  short  time.  They  make  broad 
distinctions  between  primary  and  secondary  effects  of  their  medi- 
cines, but  apparently  not  in  the  "provings."  It  cannot  be  too  con- 
stantly borne  in  mind  that  Homoeopaths  profess  to  regard  these 
experiments  as  the  bases  of  facts  upon  which  their  system 
mainly  rests.  They  are  constantly  boasting  of  these  researches 
as  adding  largely  to  the  sum  of  human  knowledge. 

Dr.  Hale  says:  "A  medicine  cannot  be  said  to  have 
reached  maturity  until  it  has  been  subjected  to  a  thorough 
physiological  proving.  In  other  words,"  he  continues,  "  it  is 
in  the  hands  of  the  Homoeopathic  School  alone  that  a  medicine 
is  capable  of  reaching  complete  development.''  The  speci- 
mens of  these  "  developments"  are  before  you.  You  can  but 
see  that  for  the  most  part,  there  is  one  loose,  confused  jumble 
of  puerilities,  inconsistencies,  and  contradictions. 

Need  anything  more  be  said  respecting  these   "  unparal- 


oO  SECOND    LKCTURE. 

leled  experiments,"  "  upon  the  accuracy  and  reliability  of  which 
depend  the  future  interests  of  liumanity ! "  "Humanity'' 
must  certainly  be  in  a  sad  way  if  depending  upon  the  accur- 
acy and  reliability  of  these  homoeopathic  provings. 

Tlie  Psora  or  Itcli  Doctrine  of  Hahnemann,  embraced  by 
many,  but  not  all  of  his  followers,  as  it  is  not  essential  to  his 
system  of  Therapeutics,  I  sliall  not  fully  explain.  I  will  only 
say  he  believed  in  three  Miasms  as  the  causes  of  Ciiroiiic  Dis- 
eases— Itch,  Syphlis,  and  Sychosis. 

The  Itch  prevailed  much  the  most  extensively,  and  was 
the  cause  of  a  very  large  jjroportion  of  Chronic  Diseases — 
Scrofula,  Cancer,  Consumption,  Rickets,  etc. 

He  wrote  before,  the  "  Itch  Mite  "  was  ge-nerally  regarded 
as  the  cause  of  this  disease,  and  as  the  principle  or  inaterici 
morbi  of  its  contagion.  He  thought  the  suppression  of  the 
eruption  from  the  surface  dangerous,  leading  to  all  these  bad 
results.     It  was  to  be  cured  by  "  potentized  "  Sulphur. 

It  had  some  couDcetion  with  "  Original  Sin,"  etc. ;  was 
herditary,  etc.  But  I  refer  to  it  as  showing  the  visionary 
character  of  Hahnemann's  mind,  and  not  for  the  purpose  of 
examination  and  criticism. 

The  method  of  I&opatliy  whose  author  was  Lux^  of  Leip- 
zic,  is  often  confounded  with  IIomoeoi)athy,  and  requires  a 
word :  "  This  method  is  based  upon  the  principle  that  to  cure 
disease  we  must  employ  remedies  that  produce  effects  not  sim- 
ilar^  but  the  same  diseases  in  the  healthy  organism." 

The  treatment  of  frozen  parts  by  cold,  burns  by  heat, 
are  examples;  but  as  Rau  justly  says,  "this  can  be  accounted 
for  without  alluding  to  Isopatliy."  Sudden  changes  from  a 
frozen  to  a  thawed  condition  are  dangerous.  Snow  thaws 
gradually  in  a  warm  room,  and  the  results  of  the  freezing  are 
therefore  less. 

But  certain  drug-diseases,  it  is  alleged,  may  be  cured  by 
dilutions  or  potencies  of  the  same  drug. 

Vaccination  is  spoken  of  as  Isopathic.  The  most  that  can 
be  said  about  this  is  that  the  susceptibility  to  this  form  of  dis- 
ease is  exhausted  by  the  persons  having  it  once.  This  will  be 
more  fully  explained  in  another  connection* 


SECOND    LECTURE.  57 

• 

The  Isopathists  allege  that  Itcli  may  be  cured  by  matter 
from  the  itch  vessicles,  whicli  they  call  Psoria  or  Psoricum. 
Scald  head  with  Psoria.  Gonorrhoea  with  Gonorrhoein.  (the 
matter  of  Gonorrhoea.)  Pedicnla  by  Pedicnlin,  (Potentized 
Parasites,)  etc.  But  as  these  views  are  not  insisted  upon  by 
IIonKcopaths  generally,  they  must  not  detain  us. 

Another  very  convenient  doctrine  is  held  by  many  llo- 
raceopaths,  viz. :  that  aggravations  of  symptoms  in  many  cases 
are  necessary  at  tirst,  in  order  to  effect  a  cure.  Convenient,  I 
say,  as  it  enables  the  Doctor  to  quiet  the  minds  of  the  patient 
and  friends  when  the  symptoms  are  worse  after  treatment  com- 
mences.    I  need  not  dwell  upon  it. 

I  have  now  presented  all  the  essential  principles  of  Hahne- 
mannic  Homoeopathy,  and  in  the  language  of  its  author  and 
supporters.  Not  a  single  passage  has  been  misquoted,  design- 
eilly  garbled,  or  in  the  least  degree  misrepresented  ;  and  I 
challenge  contradiction  as  to  a  single  statement  made.  But 
do  all  Homoeopaths  hold  to  these  views  of  Hahnemann  ? 
What  is  the  present  Homoeopathic  creed  ?  In  regard  to  "prov- 
ings  "  we  have  brought  tho  subject  down  to  the  present  time. 
But  this  question  as  to  the  present  standard  creed  of  the  Ho- 
moeopathists  generally,  is  not  easy  to  answer.  There  is,  per- 
haps, no  absolute  uniformity  of  opinion  or  practice  as  to  any 
one  cl   Hahnemann's  doctrines. 


HOMCEOPATHY. 


LECTURE    III. 


Gentlemen. — In  the  last  tAvo  lectures  we  were  occupied 
with  an  account  of  the  doctrines  of  Horaccopathy  as  taught 
by  Hahnemann,  its  founder.  But  little  attempt  was  made  to 
show  the  fallacy  of  these  doctrines,  except  in  the  case  of  the 
"  proviugs,"  the  character  of  which  was  illustrated  by  exam- 
ples from  standard  works,  and  by  quotations  from  homoio- 
pathic  authorities  respecting  their  unreliability. 

Let  us  now  review  these  chief  doctrines  in  the  inverse  or- 
der in  which  they  were  presented,  referring  to  the  views  of 
other  homceopathic  writers  as  occasion  may  require.  The  sys- 
tem of  "  provings  "  has  already  been  sufiaciently  dwelt  upon 
for  you  to  aj)preciate  its  value. 

As  to  the  rule  of  administering  but  a  single  medicinal 
substance  at  a  time,  I  have  sufficiently  shown  the  impossibility 
of  a  compliance  with  it  in  the  triturations  ;  and  I  may  add 
that  many,  if  not  most,  or  indeed  all  homceopathic  practioners 
now  alternate  medicines  ;  and  some  advise  compounds.  Thus, 
Ran,  in  his  Organon,  which  Dr.  Hempel  calls  "  a  philosophical 
and  argumentative  exposition  of  the  principles  of  Homoeopa- 
thy," on  page  178,  says:  "  If  different  systems  and  organs  be 
affected,  the  cure  is  promoted  by  giving  two  remedies,  one  of 
which  corresponds  to  one,  and  the  other  to  the  other  affection, 
in  alternation."  "  Thus,"  he  continues,  "Digitalis  and  Nux 
Vomica  may  be  given  alternately  in  a  complication  of  pneurao- 


00  TIIIIU)    LE(  Tl'ItE. 

ni:i  and  gastric  symiitoms ;  Sulphur  aiul  Nux  Vomica  in 
chronic  abdoininal  coin{)laints,"  etc. 

Again,  on  page  118,  the  same  autlior  says  :  "  Mineral  Wa- 
ters, which  liavc  such  Avondorful  tlierapcutic  properties,  are 
compound  substances."  And  again,  "  We  possess  several 
pharmaceutic  comi)ounds,  wliich  we  cannot  reasonably  reject 
in  practise,  provided  ihcy  are  always  prepared  in  the  same 
manner." 

lie  CDDtinues  :  "  There  are  compounds  which  have  be- 
come standard  preparations  in  our  pharmacopiuia,  and  which 
we  have  a  right  to  retain  because  we  are  fully  acquainted 
with  their  therapeutic  use.  Such  preparations  are,  for  instance, 
as  Calomel  and  Opium,  Ammonia  and  Tartar  Emetic,  Cinchona 
and  Sulphuric  Acid,  etc. 

Ilenriques,  in  his  work,  i^age  271,  however,  says:  "A 
distinguishing  characteristic  of  Ilomrcopathic  practice  is,  the 
administering  one  single  remedial  agent  at  a  time." 

Hempel  says, — vol.  i,  page  S7 — "The  method  of  alternating 
two  medicines  at  regular  intervals,  is  generally  resorted  to  in 
acute  cases  only,"  mentioning  many  articles  that  may  thus  be 
alternated,  and  adds  :  "  We  hear  of  physicians  (Homoeopathic) 
using  four  and  even  six  medicines,  not  only  in  the  same  case, 
but  at  the  same  time,  alternating  them  in  regular  order  ;  and 
Luz  "  he  says,  "  in  a  late  publication,  has  proposed  to  mix 
the  remedies,  instead  of  alternating  them." 

Thus  we  have  the  "  consistency  and  universality  "  of  ho- 
moeopathic teachings,  as  "  a  doctrine  of  life,  a  heavenly  truth," 
illustrated. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Hahnemann  strongly  recom- 
mended medication  by  olfaction  as  the  mildest  and  safest,  and 
quite  as  efficient  a  method  as  by  swallowing.  Rau  says, — 
Organon^p.  178 — "Very  sensitive,  hysteric  females,  are  in- 
deed affected,  by  merely  smelling  of  the  medicine,  (I  suppose 
he  means  the  dilution,)  but  the  re-action  occasioned  by  olfac- 
tion is  very  fleeting  at  any  rate ;  "  and  Hempel  says,  "  this 
should  only  be  resorted  to  in  purely  nervous  affections  ; "  ad- 
ding, "  We  doubt  whether  it  can  be  depended   u]ion  in   acute 


THIRD    LECTUKE.  61 

inflammations,  or  in  disorders  of  any  kind  which  may  termiii- 
ato  in  dangerous  disorganizations."  I'm  afraid,  Gentlemen,  it 
cannot.  This  method,  I  believe,  has  generally  been  aban- 
doned ;  and  it  is  not  so  much  to  be  regretted,  as  Hahnemann 
averred  that  smelling  of  a  globule  at  the  thirtieth  dilution, 
or  putting  it  upon  the  tongue,  and  not  drinking  after  it, 
was  very  much  the  same.  With  this  opinion  I  am  prepared 
to  concur. 

The  mode  of  preparing  homoeopathic  medicines,  with 
many  of  the  School  has  not  changed  since  the  time  of  its 
founder.  In  the  Homojopathic  Medical  College  of  Philadel- 
phia, the  regular  process  of  Hahnemann  seems  to  bo  followed 
as  we  have  seen  ;  and  Dr.  Hempel,  in  his  Materia  Medica,  rec- 
ommends this  metjiod  as  the  best  But  he  says,  "the  pre- 
paration of  the  ingredients  in  making  our  preparations  has 
been  considerably  modified."  "Instead  of  taking  one  grain 
of  the  medicine,  or  one  drop  to  ninety-nine  grains  of  Sugar 
of  Milk,  ten  grains  of  the  drug  are  taken, to  ninety  grains  of  the 
vehicle."  IIahnemann''s  scale  is  called  the  centesimal^  and  this 
new  scale  is  designated  as  iho  decimal  scvile.  "  I  believe,"  he 
adds,  "  that  the  decimal  scale  is  now  more  generally  used  by 
homoeopathic  physicians  than  the  centesimal, 

Griiner,  a  leading  pharmaceutist,  accepts  the  decimal. 
Used  at  the  first  dilution  with  powerful  medicines,  as  Arsenic, 
Strychnia,  Corrosive  Sublimate,  Morphine,  etc.,  this  change 
would  make  all  the  difference  in  the  Avorld.  But  with  the 
weaker  medicines,  or  with  any  medicines  in  the  higher  dilu- 
tions, as  with  snuffing  or  swallowing,  it  would  be  all  the  same. 

While  Hahnemann  was  so  particular  about  all  his  pro- 
cesses, quantities,  and  potencies,  you  will  be  struck  with  the 
indifferent  manner  in  which  the  various  methods  and  quantities 
are  spoken  of  by  modern  homoeopaths.  To  deny  the  efficacy 
of  the  inflnitesimals,  xcoxild  he  to  reject  the  testimony  xipon 
which  the  system  of  Homoeopathy  is  founded.  To  reject  all 
the  experience  with  the  high  dilutions,  is  to  reject  nearly  all 
former  reports  of  the  great  success  of  homoeopathic  treat- 
ment— is,  in  fact,  to  acknowledge  that  all,  or  at  least,  most  of 


62  THIRD    LECTURE. 

the  past  is  a  delusion.  This  conclusion  cannot  be  avoiOcd. 
TIk-  niiu'ty,  and  ninety-five  por-ccnt.  of  Cholera  cases  so  osten- 
tatiously and  fahch/  reported  as  cured  by  Ilonia'opathy,  must 
all  go  to  tlie  wind  if  the  efficacy  of  infinitesimals  is  denied  ;  for 
these  cases  y,crc  jyrqfesscdli/,  though  probaldy  not  really,  treat- 
ed by  inlinitesimal  doses.  Ilencc,  belief  is  professed  by  these 
men  in  the  power  of  such  doses,  while  at  one  step  the  quantity 
of  medicine  in  what  they  call  the  "potencies''  is  increased  ten 
fold  ;  and  the  first  attenuations  and  even  "Mother  Tinctui-e," 
as  they  are  called — and  indeed  the  Cruder  forms  of  medicines 
are  unscrupulously  used  ;  but  whether  upon  the  principle  of 
similia  simiiibus  cur(aitin\  we  shall  in  due  time  sec. 

Indeed  Kau,  and  Marcy,  and  Ilcnriques,  and  Hempel,  and 
nearly  the  whole  of  them,  at  times,  seem  tj  regard  the  matter 
of  quantity, — whetlier  the  decimal  or  centesimal  scale  ;  whether 
the  Crude  article,  or  the  forty-fifth  dilution,  as  a  matter  of  no 
essential  moment.  Thus,  Kau,  on  page  183,  Organon,  says: 
"If  the  remedy  is  chosen  in  accordance  Avith  the  principle  of 
similia  siinilibiis  curantur,  the  treatment  is  homojopathic 
whether  the  dose  be  large  or  small."  While,  as  we  have 
seen,  he  doubts  the  efficacy  of  Olfaction  ;  and  on  i)age  182, 
he  says :  "  the  weaker  medicines  must  be  given  in  the  lower 
dilutions  ;''  yet,  on  page  181,  he  says  :  "In  inflanmiatory  aflec • 
tions  of  the  meningcnial  membranes,"  (membranes  of  the 
brain,  I  suppose  he  means)  "  with  convulsions,  in  the  case 
of  children,  I  have  seen  the  most  remarkable  curative 
effects  from  the  forty-fifth  potency  of  Belladonna  I" — The 
quantity  in  the  thirtieth,  divided  by  one  hundred,  fifteen  times! ! 
Ilempel  says  in  effect  much  the  same  things.  Yet  in  vol.  1, 
p.  79  Mat.  Med.,  he  says  : — "  The  use  of  infinitesimal  doses 
is  one  of  the  characteristic  peculiarities  of  our  practice."  Dr 
Marcy  in  his  Practice  of  Medicine,  on  page  108,  says:  "What 
cared  Hahnemann, — what  care  his  discipjles — whether  they  use 
one  or  twenty  drops  of  a  tincture,  or  one  grain  of  a  twentietli 
attenuation  V"  But,  he  says,  the  attenuations  originated  with 
Hahnemann  as  a  necessity,  on  discovering  that  the  tinctures 
often  jn-oduced  too  violent  an  impression  upon   the   affected 


TniRD   LECTUKE,  63 

structure.  Of  course,  wlieu  over  excitement  exists  in  an  or- 
gan or  in  tlie  whole  system,  an  excitant  in  sensible  doses  is 
very  likely  to  do  harm.  If  great  depression  exists,  the  use  of 
depressing  agents  in  sufficient  quantity  to  produce  effects,  will 
lead  to  greater  depression.  Those  facts  must  ever  have  the 
effect  of  confining  those  who  prescribe  on  the  principle  of  sim- 
ilia  slmilibus  to  \Qry  small  doses.  This  is  a  necessity.  But 
while  Hahnemann  declared  in  the  most  positive  manner  the 
high  attenuations  best  in  all  cases,  most  of  his  followers  of  the 
present  day  give  the  lower  ones — or  crude  articles,  accord- 
ing to  their  notions,  or  their  ^'■infallible  experiences.'^'' 

This  harmony,  consistency  and  universality  of  the  ''  heav- 
enly truth  ''  is  indeed  quite  remarkable. 

It  seems,  then,  that  a  "  Homoeopathic  dose ''  now  means 
any  quantity  which  may  be  put  into  a  human  stomach,  or 
approproximated  to  a  human  olfactory.  Yet  Henriques, 
agreeing  with  the  remark  already  quoted  from  Hempel,  says  : 
"The  administration  of  imponderable  doses  in  the  treatment 
of  disease,  is  a  characteristic  of  Homoeopathy.'' 

But  on  the  other  hand  again.  Dr.  Lobethal,  a  high  Ger- 
man Homoeopathic  authority  says  :  "I  am  decidedly  convinced, . 
that  in  order  to  apply  the  Homoeopathic  treatment  with  suc- 
cess, we  should  take  cognizance  of  the  whole  scale  at  our  dis- 
posal, from  the  actual  dose  of  the  old  School,  up  to  the  high- 
est dilutions  of  which  any  medicine  is  susceptible  ;"  and  Dr. 
Gross  of  Germany,  another  higli  authority  says  :  "  The  phy- 
sician may  vary  the  dose  from  the  highest  dilution  down  to 
one  or  more  drops  of  the  undiluted  Tincture." 

Amid  this  confusion  and  contradiction  of  authorities,  it 
becomes  difficult  to  define  the  present  standard  Homoeopathic 
creed.  Indeed,  in  the  process  of  change  and  disintegration, 
which  is  evidently  going  on,  no  standard  creed  exists.  Be- 
fore we  get  through  with  the  subject  we  shall  see  that  each 
of  the  distinctive  doctrines  is  denied  and  rejected  by  the  hom- 
oeopathic authorities  themselves.  Hempel  in  his  3fateria 
Medica,  vol.  1,  p.  801  says:  "  Of  Hahnemann's  original  rules 
of  treatment  hardly  one  is  followed  by  modern  practitioners. 


64 


TIIIKD    I-ECTIUK. 


Who  treats  a  case  oi"  Syphilis  now  by  giving  a  single  t^lobulc 
of  tlie  30th  potency  of  Morcurius  Soliibilis,  and  no   more,  as 
Hahnemann  advises?     Or  who  treats  a  case  of  Scabies  with  a 
single  globule  of  the  30th  potency  of  Sulphur,  as  lie  advises  U8 
to  do?     We  have  learned  by  abundant  cjcperknce  that  we  can 
do  better  in  many  cases,  and  that  unless  we  sometimes  acted 
differently,  we  should  nut  be  able  to  cure  our  i)atients."     But 
Hahnemann's  "  experience,"  proved  to  him  the   efticiency   of 
his  single  doses.     What  confidence  can  we  place   in  any  of 
these  "  experiences  ?  " — especially   when  their  pretended  con- 
clusions violate  every  principle  of  reason  and  common  sense. 
The  doctrine   of  Potentization,  Dynamization,  or  Spiritu- 
alization,  so  urgently  insisted  upon   by  Hahnemann — and  the 
only  doctrine  which  can  possibly  rave  the  infinitesimal  doses 
from  absurdity,  and  froai  the  contempt  of  all  sensible  men,  is,  I 
think  I  may  say,  very  generally  abandoned  by  Homoeopaths, 
at  the  present  time.    It  is  true  there  is  not  a  single  established 
fact,  tending  to  prove  such  "  new  and  unheard  of  powers  "  be- 
ing given  to  drugs  by  triturations  and  shakings  ;  yet  there   is 
no  inherent  impossibility  in  the  assumption  ;    and  there  might 
be  some  analogy  in  the  fact  of  electrical  power  being  given  to 
certain  substances  by  friction.    But  Homoeopaths   of  the  pre 
sant  day  reject  the  doctrine  as  a  mistake  or   delusion  of  their 
"great  Founder."     I  have  already  shown  that  it  was  a  neces- 
sity to  Hahnemann's  System,  and  "svith  its  rejection  infinitesimal 
doses  must  be  abandoned.     The  rejection  of  this  doctrine   of 
potencies  is  the  secret  of  the  substitution  of  the  Decimal  for 
Centesimal  method  of  preparation ;  and  the  substitution  of  the 
"mother  tinctures,"  and  crude  articles  for the]dilutions.     The 
eflFect   of  resorting   to  these  larger  doses,  upon   the   princi- 
ple oisimilia  similibus  as  a  general  law,  we  can  but  see.     A 
system  of  whatever  kind  consisting   of  parts  dependent  upon 
each  other,  cannot  lose   any  of  those  parts  without  falling  into 

dissolution. 

"  In  Nature's  chain  whatever  liuk  we  strike, 
Tenth,  or  ten-thousandth,  breaks  the  chain  alike." 

So  in  this  artificial  toy  system   of  alleged  princii^les,  like 
the  circle  of  bricks  set  up  by  children,  when  one  is   toppled 


Tltmi)     LICCTURE.  65 

over,  all  must  fall.  Some  of  the  parts  may  beheld  up  for  :i 
time,  but  the  superincumbent  pressure  must  at  length  prevail, 
and  ditterent  from  the  bricks,  if  once  completely  prostrated 
and  abandoned  by  the  large  body  who  are  now  playing  with 
them,  they  will  never  bo  set  up  again — certainly  not,  until  af- 
ter the  lapse  of  years.  Some  future  antiquarian  may  exhume 
them,  and  some  future  generation  of  urchins  may  recnact  the 
play. 

But  are  the  "potentizations"  really  denied  by  Homoeo- 
paths ?     By  many,  certainly. 

Rau  in  his  Oi'ganon,\).  158,  says:  "Nor  is  it  sufficient 
to  assert  that  the  quantity  and  quality  of  a  horaoeopahtic  agent 
are  in  an  inverse  proportion,  and  that  the  power  of  the  drug 
increases  as  it  is  more  highly  attenuated.  This  is  contrary  to 
experience.  We  attenuate  medicines  to  diminish  their  excess- 
ive action." 

Now,  to  be  sure,  llahnemanu's  experience  was  just  the  re- 
verse of  this  ;  and  besides,  the  Sage  declared  that  "  all  the  ex- 
perience in  the  world  could  not  disprove  the /ac^  (?)  that  the 
smallest  doses  were  the  best." — the  most  powerful  for  good  of 
course.  This  Homoaopathic  "  exj^erience"  is  a  very  curious  af- 
faii".  Itseemstobeable  to^^raye  anything  that  is  desired.  Rau, 
in  the  same  paragraph,  adds  :  "We  know  from  '■  experience  " 
that  the  dynamically  disturbed  organism  is  most  powerfully 
affected  by  influences  which  have  a  tendency  to  realize  a  sim- 
ilar disturbance  in  the  healthy  organism."  So,  according  to 
this  evidence,  that  matter  is  settled.  But  experience  has  given 
the  hundreds  of  symptoms  recorded  in  the  homoeopathic  books 
as  the  eflfects  of  Charcoal,  and  Sulphur,  and  Silex,  and  Chalk, 
and  other  thingfr,  even  Avlien  given  in  infinitesimal  doses — 
those  symptoms  which  llempel  in  one  of  his  more  lucid  mo- 
ments designates  as  "  the  tens  of  thousands  of  puerile  and  ut- 
terly useless  trioiallties  which  have  excited  the  derision  of  both 
friend  and  foe."  3fat  Jled.  p.  04.  He  adds  as  an  explana- 
tion disapprovingly — that  some  i^rovers  "note  down  as  drug- 
effects  every  sensation  which  he  may  experience  after  taking 
the  first  dose."     This  is  indeed  the  common  fact. 


GG  THIRD    LECTURE. 

In  relatliiGj  a  roported  lioma^opalliic  "cure"  by  a  medi- 
cine wliifli  hu  did  not  happen  to  believe  in,  the  words  of 
a  man  he  evidently  disliked,  lie  said,  you  will  remember, 
"  the  remedy  had  as  much  to  do  with  the  recovery  as  the  '  com- 
et's tail.'"  Strange  that  it  should  not  hare  occured  to  him 
that  the  many  cases,  he  and  others  relate  of  recoveries,  after 
a  globule  had  been  swallowed  or  snuffed,  might  not  have  tlie 
same  relation  to  the  supposed  remedy,  the  relation  of  this  re- 
covery and  the  "  comet's  tail."  As  Polonius  would  have  said, 
"  Comet's  tail,"  is  good. 

In  reference  to  this  question  of  Potentization,  the  position 

of  Dr.  Ilempel  is  attempted  to  be  expressed  in  his  Mat.  Med., 

vol.  1,  p.  78-9.     Here  it  is,  and  you  shall  see  what  you  can 

make  of  it : 

"A  Homoeopathic  medicine  acts  by  carrying  the  war  into 
Africa;  it  acts  like  the  lightning-rod  inviting  the  thunders 
of  Heaven.  Here  is  the  stranionium-cUsease,  the  creative  stra- 
riioniian-force  having  invaded  the  organism  where  it  meets  a 
kindred  recipient  faculty,  a  pre-disposition  whicli  it  excites 
into  a  violent,  palpable  disorder.  We  act  upon  it  by  means  of 
material  molecules  for  whicli  the  the  stramonium-force  or  es- 
sence has  a  stronger  attractive  affinity  than  for  the  organic 
tissues.  These  material  molecules  are  the  stramonium-drug  in 
a  suitable  state  of  preparation.  If  the  drug-molecules  are  not 
endowed  with  sufficient  force  to  draw  the  disease  to  them- 
selves, in  other  words  to  materialize  it,  to  convert  it  from  the 
dynamic  or  immaterial  form  in  which  it  pervades  the  organ- 
ism, into  molicular  drug-atoms  of  limited  dimensions,  and 
harmless  as  disease — producing  agents,  the  cure  fails.  Either 
the  disease  was  not  a  stramonium-disease,  or  else  the  inimical 
force  had  so  thoroughly  assimilated  the  organic  tissues  that 
their  dissolution  had  become  inevitable.  It  is  in  this  exact 
adaptation  of  our  remedial  agents  to  diseases,  that  consists 
their  potency — their  power  to  act.  Potency  has  not  refer- 
ence to  quantity  or  number,  but  to  t J le  curative  adajytation  of 
drugs  to  diseases.  In  this  sense  a  globule  of  the  12th  attenua- 
tion of  arsenic,  may  be  a  far  more  efficient  potency  than  ten 
drops  of  Fowler's  solution  ;  whereas,  on  the  other  hand,  a  few 
grains  of  quinine  in  fever  and  ague,  may  exercise  a  more  posi- 
tive curative  influence,  and  therefore  constitute  a  more  efficient 
potency,  than  a  few  globules  of  the  30th  attenuation. 

Hahnemann  taught  the  doctrine,  and  this  doctrine  is 
founded  in  Nature  and  Reason — that  it  is  the  drug-force  which 
effects  cures.     By  drug-force,  we  mean  the  morbific  essence 


TniKD   LECTURE.  67 

wliicli  materializes  itself  in  the  plant,  and  develops  pathologi- 
cal lesions  in  the  organism.  This  drug-1'orce  can  never  be 
wholly  separated  from  the  material  molecules  of  the  drug  ;  but 
by  resorting  to  various  peculiar  processes  of  shaking  and  trit- 
uration, this  drug-force  may  bo  set  free,  disengaged,  and  may 
by  united  with  a  temporary  vehicle,  such  as  alcohol  or  sugar 
of  milk."     The  triturating  and  shaking  are  to  be  described. 

"  For  the  present,"  he  adds,  "  let  it  sufiice  to  know  that  it  is 
the  in-dwelling  dynamic  force  of  drugs  which  effects  our  cures 
by  absorbing,  attracting,  as  it  were,  the  morbific  essence  to  it- 
self, and  amalgamating  or  incorporating  it  with  the  molecular 
atoms  of  the  drug."  He  fiirllier  says,  "the  process  of  rubbing 
and  shaking  is  designated  as  an  attsnuation  by  those  who  look 
upon  this  proceeding  as  simply  a  mechanical  division  or  sepa- 
ration of  the  drug-molcculcs ;  the  term  potency  or  dynara- 
ization,  is  applied  by  physicians,  who  regard  the  process  of 
shaking  and  trituration  as  a  development  of  the  in-dwelling 
drug-force." 

He  seems  to  hold  t'lat  the  drug-force  is  in  great  quantity, 
in  a  medicine,  and  is  separated  and  let  loose  by  shaking.  This 
is  a  modification  of  Hahnemann's  notion  of  an  added  force — a 
new  and  unheard-of  power  2^^'oduced  hy  the  shaking.  Hem- 
pel  developes  or  separates  it  by  rubbing.  One  view  is  about 
as  rational  as  the  other  ;  and  practically  they  amount  to  about 
the  same  thing,  viz. :  that  the  power  of  the  drugs  in  trituration 
and  shaking  is  developed  or  increased.  The  medicine  is  po- 
tentized.  But  this  is  not  the  common  view  of  Homoeopaths. 
Potentization,  by  the  masses,  is  relinquished.  Hempel  is  not 
a  representative  man  of  his  school.  But  who  is  a  representa- 
tive of  modern  HomcEopathy  ?     Ran  finally  explicitly  says  : 

"  It  is  my  opinion  that  the  virtues  of  medicines  are  coui- 
jjletely  developed  in  the  first,  clear,  transparent  dilution. 
Some  agents  pDsscss  the  power  of  deranging  ^the  organism 
in  an  extraordinary  degree,  compelling  even  Allopathic  physi- 
cians to  prescribe  very  small  doses,  lest  the  organism  should 
be  injured.  This  circumstance,  of  itself,  is  sufficient  to  show 
that  the  power  of  a  drug  is  divided  in  proportion  as  the  drug 
is  attenuated.     If  that  poAver  were  increased  by  the  attenuat- 


68  THIRD    LECTUnK. 

iiig  process,  every  rciueilial  ngoiit  wouM   lie   coiiverted   into  a 
deatlly  poison." 

Marcy,  p.  119,  says  :  "  We  iiifor,  tli:it  no  now  properties 
arc  dovc'lojH'd  by  the  Ii()in(eo[)atliic  nictlio'l  of  preparing  drugs, 
except  sucli  as  arise  iVoni  the  mere  subdivision  of  their  parti- 
cles ;  and  that  all  ideas  respecting  spiritaalizatlon,  dynnialza- 
tion,  and  magnetism,  in  the  prepa  ation  of  medicines,  arc 
erroneous  and  untenable."" 

If  medicines  -were  increased  in  power  as  Hahnemann 
taught,  could  the  matter  remain  long  in  doubt?  Could  it  not 
bo  tested?  AVould  any  Ilonioeopat'is  deny  it?  Here,  as  else- 
wiiere,  the  discrepancies  are  seen. 

It  seems  almost  a  waste  of  time  to  attempt  an  argument 
against  the  effects  of  infinitesimal  quantities  of  common  mat- 
ter of  ordinary  drugs,  such  as  Sulphur,  Lime,  Potash,  Golden 
Seal,  or  the  more  powerful  articles,  even,  as  Nux  Vomica, 
Aconite,  Mercury,  Arsenic,  etc..  at  the  thirtieth  dilution,  or 
any  other  above  the  very  loArest,  if  potcntization  be  rejected. 
It  seems  only  necessary  to  remind  you  of  the  extreme  minute- 
ness of  the  quantities  in  these  dilutions,  as  already  shown.  Yet 
to  give  a  show  of  plausibility  to  the  alleged  power  of  such 
dilutions,  the  effect  of  imponderable  quantities  of  specific  and 
c  )ntagious  poisons,  and  particularly  of  the  poisons  of  Small-Pox 
and  the  Vaccine  disease  arc  constantly  adduced  as  illustrations. 
I  need  hardly  remind  those  of  you  who  are  medical  students 
and  acquainted  with  the  doctrine  of  contagion,  of  the  want  of 
analogy — the  total  difference  between  the  mode  of  operation 
of  Sraall-Pox  and  Vaccine  poisons,  and  that  of  medicinal  sub- 
stances referred  to. 

The  infectious  or  contagious  poison  i^f/in')jiinal,ixs  has  al- 
ready been  stated — is  a  living  cell  or  molecule,  capable  of  multi- 
plication in  the  system.  It  must  and  does  multiply  before  it  pro- 
duces its  effects.  The  smallest  particle  of  this  germinal  matter 
introduced  into  the  system  by  inhalation  in  the  air,  or  by  ir- 
noculation  into  the  skin,  thus  reaching  the  blood,  after  a  week 
or  two,  the  period  of  incubation,  as  it  is  called,  so  increases  in 
the  body,  taking  nutritient  materials  to  itself,  as  to  manifest  the 


XniRD    LECTURE.  69 

most  decided  effecls — the  phenomena  of  the  disease ;  and 
producing  the  most  sensible  amount,  even  ounces,  and  perhaps 
pounds  of  the  same  kind  of  matter,  in  Small-Pox,  passing  off 
in  effluvia,  or  accumulating  in  the  pustules  which  are  so  abun- 
dant. But  no  one  pretends  that  medicines  are  living  germinal 
matters,  thus  multij^lying  in  the  system.  Thus  the  analogy 
and  the  ilUistration  entirely  fail ;  and  common  sense  and  com- 
mon sanity  so  strongly  protest  against  the  i^ossibility  of  such 
effects,  that  I  need  say  no  more.  ' 

The  next  homoeopathic  doctrine  in  the  system  to  be  no- 
ticed, following  the  inverse  order  in  which  they  were  mentioned 
in  a  former  lecture,  is  that  respecting  the  totality  of  symptoms. 
According  to  Hahnemann,  (I  sho^ved  that  it  was  a  necessary 
part  of  his  system),  Ave  cannot  know  anything  of  disease  except 
the  symptoms.  The  symptoms  in  their  totality  reflect  the  in- 
ternal disease — the  affection  of  the  vital  force. 

But  says  Ran,  "  the  philosophical  and  argumentative  ex- 
pounder of  Homoeopathy,"  {Organon,  p.  99)  ^^  Sym2')toms  are 
only  one  portion  of  the  clue  which  leads  to  the  perception  of 
the  true  nature  of  the  internal  morbid  process.  *  *  In 
some  cases  the  symptoms  are  not  so  clear,  and  the  real  nature 
of  the  disease  has  to  be  determined  by  a  jmori  reasoning." 
He  goes  on  to  urge  at  length  the  importance  of  enquiring  into 
the  history  of  tlie  case,  the  tcjulencies  of  the  constitution,  the 
causes  of  the  disease,  the  surrounding  influences  which  are 
injurious  or  advantageous  to  the  patient,  as  well  as  an  appre- 
ciation of  existing  symptoms  ;  and  in  speaking  of  the  objects 
of  treatment,  he  says  (p.  313) — "For  a  long  time  past  it  has 
been  felt  that  the  removal  of  single  symptoms  does  not  consti- 
tute a  cure,  any  more  than  we  can  extinguish  the  flame  of  a 
burning  house  by  directing  the  stream  against  one  side  only. 
The  fruitless  attempt  to  combat  the  totality  of  the  symptoms 
by  a  combination  of  remedies  producing  opposite  effects,  finally 
led  to  the  conviction  that  every  disease,  in  order  to  be  cured, 
must  be  seized  by  the  root.  In  this  way  the  idea  of  rational 
medicine  has  first  been  started,  and  will  ultimately  triumph." 
On  p.  156,  he  adds:  "In  treating  patients  symptomatically,  we 
often  come  in  collision  with  the  curative  efforts  of  nature.'''' 


10  THIRD    LKCTURE. 

You  have  been  taught,  gentlemen,  that  it  is  more  import- 
ant to  change  pathological  conditions,  and  to  remove  morbid 
causes,  than  to  aim  ycur  treatment  at  the  mere  palliation  or 
removal  of  symptoms.  But  the  homoeopathic  method,  based 
upon  the  alleged  similarity  of  drug  effects  to  the  symptoms  of 
disease,  cannot  act  on  this  principle. 

Ilenriques,  the  forcible  and  plausible  writer  in  favor  of 
IIoma?opathy,  (as  he  understands  it),  already  referred  to,  in 
summing  up  a  discussion  on  this  question,  says:  "I  trust  I 
have  shown  that  the  symptomatic  school  of  Hahnemann  is  cor- 
rect in  assuming  the  primary  and  radical  scat  of  disease  to  be 
the  vital  force,  and  that  the  only  elements  of  disease  that  can 
be  of  real  importance  in  a  therapeutic  point  of  view,  and  which 
can  constitute  the  great  basis  of  medical  science,  are  the  vital 
signs  and  symptoms."     (p.  228.) 

But  here,  as  everywhere,  there  are  differences  of  views 
among  Homoeopaths,  Hahnem.ann's  doctrine  on  this  question 
seems  to  predominate.  It  is  a  part  of  the  system,  though  de- 
nied and.  abandoned  by  many.  We  regard  pathological  con- 
ditions— arriving  at  a  knowledge  of  them  by  all  means  possible. 
— Causes  and  effects — all  the  morbid  phenomena — as  affording 
therapeutical  indications — as  objects  of  treatment.  It  is  un- 
necessary for  me  to  urge  upon  you  considerations  in  favor  of 
this  view.  But  in  thus  presenting  you  with  the  views  of  dif- 
ferent Homteopathic  writers  on  this  subject,  you  may  behold 
"  with  hearts  full  of  reverence,  the  consistency  and  zmiversality 
of  the  teachings  of  this  heavenly  truth !"   (Hempel.) 

Wc  come  back  now  to  the  first — the  great  central  doctrine 
of  Homeceopathy — Similia  Similibus  Curantur\  the  alleged 
universal  therapeutic  principle — "  the  sole  law  of  cure." 

We  have  found  all  the  other  essential  doctrines  of  Hahn- 
emann, rejected  and  opposed  by  his  professed  followers,  as  not 
having  sufficient  plausibility,  or  evidence  in  their  favor  to  com- 
mand the  assent  of  all  his  disciples. 

I  fancy  also  that  none  of  these  views  which  have  been 
commented  upon  have  received  the  assent  of  the  judgment  of 
any  one  of  you  who  has  given  his  attention  to  their  statement. 


THIRD    LECTURE.  71 

If  we  should  now  lind  tliat  this  dogma  is  also  rejected  by  many 
of  these  same  disciples  and  professed  followers,  and  what  is 
much  more  important,  that  it  is  clearly  opposed  to  both  facts 
and  reason — what  in  our  estimation,  will  have  become  of  this 
wliole  system,  and  of  its  several  jjarts  ? 

Homoeopathists  in  a  general  way,  however,  insist  upon 
this  as  a  great  law  and  a  great  discovery :  as  the  great  central 
principle  to  which  all  others  are  subsidiary — and  many  say  we 
ought  to  drop  out  of  sight  Hahnemann's  other  views,  such  as 
infinitesimal  doses,  potentizations,  spiritual  medicinal  influ- 
ences, the  itch-miasm  as  the  cause  of  seven-eights  of  all  chronic 
diseases,  etc.,  etc.,  as  mere  subsidiary  articles  in  the  homa3op- 
athic  creed,  to  which  all  his  followers  do  not  implicitly  sub- 
scribe, while  we  look  to  ^^  Similia  Similihui  Curantur''''  as 
the  sole  vital  part  of  this  medical  system. 

Dr.  Scott,  a  leading  English  Homceopathist,  and  one  of 
the  most  learned  of  their  writers,  says  in  the  British  Journal 
of  Homoeopathy — "  The  essential  characteristic  of  the  homoe- 
opathic schools  is  singly  and  simply  the  adoption  of  a  law  of 
treatment  applicable  to  all  forms  of  disease,  expressed  by  the 
words,  Similia  Similibus  Curantur  /  this,"  he  adds,  "  we 
conceive  to  be  the  whole  distinctive  creed." 

Most  of  the  Homoeopaths  of  the  present  day  in  conversa- 
tion, will  declare  this  the  only  principle  upon  which  they  in- 
sist, and  by  which  they  are  governed  in  practice.  But  do  they 
all  adhere  to  it,  as  a  universal  principle — and  are  they  all  gov- 
erned by  it  in  practice  ?  And  what  is  still  more  important,  is 
it  true  ?  Is  it  a  universal  principle?  Is  it  even  a  general  law? 
Is  it,  in  fact,  any  law  at  all  ? 

Now  as  to  whether  Homoeopaths,  even  in  their  writings, 
where  coming'down  to  facts  and  details,  regard  their  law  as 
universal;  I  will  first  refer  to  Rau,  wliose  work  is  so  strongly 
endorsed  by  Hempel,  his  translator. 

Rau's  first  general  therapeutic  rule  is  stated  to  be  "  to  re- 
move all  morbid  influences ;"  and  he  remarks  that  many  dis- 
eases disappear  simply  by  removing  the  morbific  influence. 
(O/y.  p.  138.)     This,  to  be  sure,  is  a  simple  dictate  of  common 


72  TIIIKU    LECTURE. 

sense  and  common  observation,  but  it  disproves  the  dogma  of 
similia  siinilU)iis,  as  tlic  onl;/  law  of  cure.  On  p.  140,  he  rec- 
ommends an  emetic  when  the  stomach  is  overloaded,  or  contains 
foul  matter  from  other  causes.  Ji\  such  cases  he  says,  "The 
shortest  and  simplest  way  it  to  take  an  emetic."  If  warm 
water  and  butter  Avill  not  do,  he  advises  ipecac,  in  proper 
emetic  dosea,  followed  by  warm  water  ;  and  after  the  vomiting 
is  over,  a  cup  of  black  coftee  to  restore  the  tone  of  the  stomach. 
Coffee,  he  thinks,  has  a  good  effect  in  slowness  of  digestion  ; 
but  frankly  confesses,  "  The  action  is  not  homoeopathic,  but 
it  is  Enanthiopathic,  in  accordance  with  the  principle  "  co)i- 
trarla  contrariis.''''  I  mention  this,"  he  says,  "  by  way  of  ad- 
vice to  those  who  condemn  every  land  of  antipatlxic  treatment 
xoithout  rhyme  or  reason.''''  On  p.  141,  he  recommends  cathar- 
tics in  constipation  of  the  bowels,  lie  relates  cases  where 
homoeopathic  remedies  had  failed,  but  where  a  cathartic,  as  of 
castor  oil,  had  cured  the  patient!  On  p.  143,  he  says,  "The 
object  of  treatment  with  the  partisans  of  every  school  and 
system,  is  to  neutralize  a  morbid  action  by  establishing  a  con- 
trary influence."  Speaking  of  the  principle  "  contraria  con- 
trariis samanda,^''  and  the  methods  of  treatment  in  accordance 
with  it,  he  says:  "These  rules  have  been  followed  for  three 
thousand  years,  sometimes  with  great  success.  This  must  be 
admitted."  He  then,  to  be  sure,  goes  on  to  mention  objections 
to  the  plan  of  large  doses ;  giving  examples  of  enormous  ones 
which  any  of  us  would  condemn  ;  and  relates  remedies  which 
he  regards  as  having  acted  homaopathically,  a  specimen  of 
which  is,  "  O^jium  has  frequently  been  employed  with  great 
success  for  incarcerated  Hernia  and  Illius.''  Is  that  homoe- 
opathic ?  The  opium  in  such  a  case  is  given  to  allay  the  severe 
pain,  overcome  spasmodic  action  and  diminish  inflammation. 
Does  any  one  imagine  that  it  will  produce,  however  given, 
any  of  these  effects?  Such  a  position  would  be  simply 
preposterous.  On  p.  151,  he  says:  "The  living  organism 
possesses  the  power  to  oppose  and  neutralize  noxious  influences, 
and  when  the  morbid  influence  is  weakened  the  organism  cures 
itself.''''     On  p.  15C-7,  in  Debility,   adynamic  conditions,  he 


THIRD    LECTURE.  1'i 

says:  '"So-ctiliocl  corroborants  and  stimulants  have  frequently 
been  of  great  use."  Page  177,  "The  derivative  method  has 
enjoyed  great  repute  for  severalthousand  years  past,  and,  with 
much  evil  has  done  some  little  good."  "It  is  not  my  intention 
to  defend  cathartics,  moxae,  setons,  etc.  I  confess,  however,  that 
I  never  hesitate  to  avail  myself  of  all  the  means  at  my  com- 
mand to  relieve  the  patient ;"  and  then  goes  on  to  say,  he  uses 
external  irritation  to  the  chest  when  measles  are  slow  to  come 
out,  "changing  the  whole  scene" — hotfoot  baths  in  congestion 
of  head,  etc.  Cold  to  head  with  ice  or  snow  in  reaction  after 
concussion  of  the  head,  "  with  incalculable  benefit."  In  swoons 
and  apparent  death  he  recommends  stimulants — when  the  vital 
action  is  prostrate,  p.  17 G.  On  p.  189,  he  advises  palliatou 
without  regard  to  the  homoeopathic  law.  In  all  these  ways  he 
denies  in  the  most  positive  manner  that  similla  similihus  is  the 
only  method  of  cure,  or  that  in  many  cases  it  is  the  best,  or  in- 
deed any  method  of  cure  at  all.  I  need  not  insist  that  all 
these  methods  thus  sanctioned  by  liau  are  opposed  to  the  law 
of  Homoeopathy,  and  subversive  of  all  its  essential  principles. 

Henriques  sjDeaking  of  the  principles  governing  the  old 
;uid  new  schools— the  old  rule,  he  says,  being  contraria  contra- 
riis  acj'antur,  and  the  new  being  similla  slmllibus  curantw\ 
on  p.  240  remarks:  "Nor  can  either  claim  the  exclusive  dig- 
nity of  an  universal  law  of  therapeutic  action.  *  *  No  doubt 
both  are  extremely  useful,  each  in  its  respective  and  appropri- 
ate sphere,  as  empirical  rules  of  practical  guidance  in  the 
selection  of  a  remedy;  but  neither  can  be  considered  as  an 
absolute  and  universal  law  explanatory  of  the  modus  operandi 
of  curative  agents.  He  further  says  there  can  be  "but  one 
absolute  principle  of  therapeutic  art,  which  may  be  termed 
"  cowiter-actlon,''''  operating  by  a  two-fold  law  — "  contraria 
contrarils^'' and^' similla  simllibiis.''''  Where  then,  according 
to  this  authority,  is  the  Universal  Laio  ? 

"These  formulas,"  he  continues,  "  are  simply  expressions 
of  the  only  two  fundamental  modes  of  relation,  as  yet  discov- 
ered, between  the  remedy  and  the  disease."     There  are  others, 

but  no  matter  now  ;  according  to  this  authority,  Homoeopathy 
10 


T1  Illlia)    l.liCTURK. 

is  nut  tlio  only  owv.  Indeed,  Ilcnriquos  repudiates  Ilahut- 
tnnnn's  "  Sy>tem  of  Medicine,"  and  says  there  are  three  things 
whicli  constitute  the  reformation  of  Hahnemann,  viz.  : 

1.  "TIk'  tiefuiite  knowledge  of  the  action  and  eftects  of 
piiarmaoeutical  agents,  acquired  by  direct  provings  upon  man 
in  the  normal  state."  We  have  seen  how  much  value  can  he 
attached  to  these  as  conducted  by  IToma'opaths. 

•_'.  "  The  rule  for  a  selection  of  a  remedy,  derived  from 
the  harmonic  relation  existing  between  the  known  specific 
ellecls  of  the  remedy  in  health,  and  tlie  ascertained  vital  signs 
of  the  given  morbid  disposition." 

But  he  has  already  stated  that  such  relation  is  Antipathic 
:is  well  as  Ilomceopathic. 

:?.  "The  practice  aodpted  hi  the  exhibiting  of  single 
remedial  agencies ;  and  the  administration  of  imponderable 
doses  for  the  treatment  of  disease.'' 

You  will  remember  that  I  have  shown  that  the  exhibiting 
of  single  remedial  agents,  triturated  and  reduced  to  imponder- 
able doses,  is  an  impossibility  ;  and  that  most  Homoeopaths 
alternate  their  medicines,  and  some  mix  them. 

From  his  stand-point,  the  "  system"  of  Hahnemann  is  re- 
jected; and  of  the  three  things  which  ho  retains,  the  first — that 
of  the  provings,  is  almost  worthless — entirely  unreliable,  as 
seen  by  the  recorded  results  of  these  provings  by  their  stand- 
ard authors,  and  as  acknowledged  by  the  Homoeopathic  au- 
thorities themselves.  The  second — the  relation  between  the 
efiects  of  remedies  and  the  symptoms  of  disease  being  one 
of  counteraction — action  against  or  in  opposition  to  the  dis- 
ease— manifesting  itself  in  two  modes — by  Antipathy,  or  an- 
tagonism ;  and  Homoeopathy,  or  similarity — similarity  being 
simply  a  less  degree  of  difference,  as  we  shall  see.  And  the 
third  thing — simple  agents  in  imponderable  doses — the  first 
part  of  this  being  generally  repudiated  by  Homoeopaths,  and 
proved  impossible  ;  and  the  last  part,  considered  by  Homoeo- 
paths of  the  present  day  as  at  least  non-essential,  and  which 
is  in  the  way  of  repudiation.  I  have  thus  given  you  the  views 
of  two  distinguished  European  Homoeopathic  authors  in  oppo- 


rniiu)  LECTUEK.  75 

sitiou  to  the  universality  of  tlie  law  of  Siniilia  Similibics  Cur- 
antur,  as  I  have  also  already  given  various  other  homoeopathic 
authorities  in  opposition  to  the  other  views  of  Hahnemann. 

It  is  stated  by  those  in  the  best  possible  position  to  know, 
that  the  condition  of  Homoeopathy  is  far  better  in  America  than 
in  any  other  country — that  is,  there  are  far  more  homoeopathic 
physicians,  colleges,  societies,  dispensaries,  books,  etc.,  in 
this  country  than  in  any  other;  and  they  attribute  this  greater 
success  of  the  American,  so-called  homa>opathic  physicians, 
to  their  departing  more  from  Homoeoprithy,  and  adopting 
more  from  the  Regular  School  here  than  any  where  else.  It  is 
not  mere  Homoeopathy  that  is  successful,  but  the  adoption  of 
much  of  the  science  and  treatment  of  the  Regular  School,  of 
the  so-called   Eclectics  and  of  the   Hydropathists. 

"  Very  few,"  says  Dr,  Peters,  (and  the  fact  is  perfecily 
well  known  to  all  who  have  observed  their  practice)  "  of  the 
American  homoeopathic  physicians  confine  themselves  exclu- 
sively to  the  liomEopathic  remedies  or  homeopathic  doses. 
The  principle  of  Similia  Similibus  is  not  followed. 

In  the  Neio  York  Med.  Gazette,  vol.  1,  p.  328,  it  is  stated: 
'•  Hahnemann  taught  that  one  grain  of  sulphur  well  rubbed  up 
with  100  grains  of  Sugar  of  Milk,  could  be  developed  into  a 
medicine  of  tremendous  power  and  energy.  But  Dr.  Barlow 
of  Xew  York,  who  ranks  as  a  homoeopathic  physician  of  ex- 
cellent standing,  advises  that  2  grs.  of  very  pure  sulphur  bo 
mixed  with  126  grs.  of  conium,  quinine  and  morphino.  A  fa- 
vorite prescription  is  :     Take 

Sulphur  Pura,  2  grs. 
Ext.  Conium  Mac,  90  grs. 
Sulph.  Quinia,  30  grs. 
Sulph.  Morphine,  3  grs. 
Podophyllin,  3  grs. 

M.  ft.  pil.  No.  xxx.  Dose  onj  or  two,  several  times  a  day. 

Each  pill  contains  one-fifteenth  of  a  grain  of  the  Sulphur, 
three  grains  of  the  Conium,  one  grain  Quinia,  one-teuth  grain 
each  of  the  Morphine  and  Podophyllin. 

In  the  Chicago  Medical  Examiner,  an  article  on  Modern 
Homoeopathy  shows  similar  proscriptions  and  practices  in  the 


7»»  TniltT)    LECTURE. 

TjOiuIoii  lIuiiKpopatliic  l)OS})it:il,  ami  in  llic  (l:iily  doings  of  var- 
ious protondod  Iloniocrpaths  inXt-w  York  and  clscwlicrc. 

In  tilt'  X.  V,  ^Icnlical  Gazette,  vol.  2,  p.  0'),  is  a  descrip- 
tion oi'a  medicine  prescribed  by  Dr.  FreliL!;li  to  a  rheumatic 
patient,  consisting  of  a  large  quantity  of  Xit.  of  Potash,  and 
not  quite  so  mnch  of  Iodide  of  Potassium,  dissolved  in  the 
Tincture  of  Actca  Raccmosa,  and  given  in  one-half  or  whole 
teaspoonful  doses.  Dr.  Frelif^h  is  in  high  standing  among 
iroiiKPojiaths. 

The  JVbrth  American  Journul  of  llomceopatloj — the 
largest  and  oldest  horacropathic  quarterly  journal,  in  its  Pro- 
spectus states,  that  "  it  will  maintain  a  recognition  of  'Sirailia 
Similibus  Curantur,'  as  the  only  Therapeutic  Law,  and  the 
superiority  of  the  practice  founded  upon  this  law  over  all  other 
systems  and  modes  of  medical  practice.''  It  will  also  oppose 
all  attempts  to  amalgamate  Homoeopathy  Avith  anything  else, 
etc.  But  we  find  in  it,  Santoninc  and  Podophyllin  prescribed 
in  free  doses  by  Dr.  C.  Judson  Hill  of  Utica,  X.  Y.  Also  an 
ounce  or  more  of  bruised  pumpkin  seeds,  followed  by  two 
drams  of  Sulph.  Ether,  and  this  by  an  ounce  of  Castor  oil. 
Dr.  Hedges  of  Chicago,  recommends  in  it,  excision  of  the 
part  in  Hydrophobia,  and  to  cauterize  with  Xitrate  of  Silver ; 
then  give  Belladonna  and  Bromide  of  Potassium  in  free  doses 
for  six  months.  Dr.  Henry  A.  Daniels  of  X.  Y.,  recommends 
in  all  cases  of  Catarrh  a  solution  of  Sulphate  of  Copper,  grad- 
uated in  strength  according  to  the  necessity  of  the  case.  Dr. 
Stackers  recommends  an  infusion  of  two  drams  of  Senega  in 
Pleuro-Pneumonia;  and  Prof.  S.B.  Barlow  reports  three  cases 
of  Goitre  cured  by  3d  and  l2th  dilutions  of  Spongia — but 
adds  an  ointment  of  the  crude  remedy  rubbed  into  the  tumor 
each  night.     Journal  for  August,  1SG8. 

"The  Chicago  Homoeopathic  Quarterly"  is  filled  with 
similar  things. 

A  few  years  ago  I  was  called  to  see  a  gentleman  at  some 
distance  who  had  been  my  patient  previously,  and  who  was 
then  in  an  alarming  condition  from  an  acute  inflammation  in 
the  chest.     Arriving  by  the  cars  late  in  the  night,  the   attend- 


TIIIKD    LECTUKE.  11 

ing  physician  Avas  not  present,  but  he  had  loft  a  note  lor  lue, 
stating  that  the  patient  was  taking  niorpliinc,  and,  I  think, 
some  other  medicine,  in  tlie  ordinary  doses  as  prescribed  by 
regular  physicians.  In  the  morning,  this  physician  came  in, 
and  a  consultation  -was  held  in  the  case,  during  wliich  not  an 
allusion  was  made,  or  an  expression  dropped,  which  excited 
the  least  suspicion  of  any  irregularity  in  the  views  or  practice; 
of  the  person  with  whom  I  was  consulting.  lie  spoke  freely  of 
other  cases  which  had  occurred  in  his  practice,  and  of  his  treat- 
ment—amon^  which  I  distinctly  remember  rheumatism,  which  he 
said  he  had  treated  successfully  with  large  doses  of  alkalies;  and 
pneumonia,  in  which  the  excitement  of  the  pulse  and  other  symp  • 
toms  had  been  controlled  by  the  usual  doses  of  veratrum  viride. 
A  course  of  treatment  for  the  patient  was  agreed  upon,  Avith- 
out  there  being  the  slightest  reference  to  homoeopathic  princi- 
ples; and  not  until  he  had  left  the  house  to  procure  the  medi- 
cine, when  I  was  informed  of  the  fact,  had  I  the  least  suspicion 
that  this  man  I  had  thus  met,  was  a  professed  Homceopath. 
When  he  returned,  in  the  presence  of  the  family  of  the  patient, 
I  charged  him  with  deception  in  professing  a  system  he  prac- 
tically repudiated — for  giving  to  Homoeopthy  the  credit  he 
had  met  with  in  the  use  of  remedies  given  in  accordance  with 
the  practice  of  the  Regular  School;  and  I  enjoined  upon  the 
gentleman  who  had  sent  for  me,  to  convey  my  apology  and  ex- 
planation to  the  regular  physicians  of  the  town  for  having  been 
unconsciously  in  consultation  with  a  Homoeopath ;  who,  had 
he  adhered  to  his  professed  principles,  could  not  have  agreed 
with  me  in  any  prescription  I  could  conscientiously  have  made. 
This  man  was  no  obscure  and  unknown  pretender;  but  at  the 
time,  an  associate  editor,  as  I  was  informed,  of  a  New  York 
Homoeopathic  Journal ;  was  soon  after,  and  I  believe  now  is, 
a  professor  in  a  Homoeopathic  College,  and  is  the  author  of  a 
work  on  homoeopathic  Materia  Medica  ! 

A  year  or  two  since,  a  womau  in  Detroit,  in  the  care  of  a 
homoeopathic  physician,  died  suddenly  with  symptoms  of  nar- 
cotism. Before  a  coroner's  jury  it  was  proved  that  a  very  large 
quantity  of  morphine  was  left  by  this  Homceopath  and  ordered 


78  THIRD    LECTURE. 

to  l)e  administered — suflicient  in  tlie  opinions  of  sonic  of  tlic 
pliysicians  who  investigated  the  subjcet,  to  cause  her  death. 

Dr.  Taylor,  of  London,  in  liis  Medical  Jurisprudence^  re- 
lates eases  of  poisoning  from  morpliine  prescribed  by  HomoR- 
opaths. 

Some  months  since,  in  conversation  Avitli  a  distinguished 
clergyman  and  advocate  of  temperance,  on  the  subject  of  phy- 
sicians so  freely  and  indiscriminately  prescribing  alcoholic 
drinks;  he  said  that  he  had  had  occasion  to  know  much  of  the 
practice  of  both  the  regular  and  homoeopathic  physicians  in 
his  own  city — Brooklyn,  N.  Y. — and  that  the  latter,  as  much 
as  the  former,  prescribed  the  diftercnt  ibims  of  alcohol,  but 
neither  upon  the  principle  of  similia  similibiis  or  in  infinitesi- 
mal doses.  Whiskey  by  the  glass-full  for  symptoms  of  debility, 
is  certainly  not  honest  Homoeopathy,  and  in  many  cases  where 
prescribed,  by  men  of  any  school,  is  not  good  practice.  But, 
like  the  other  cases,  the  use  of  this  article  by  Homoeopaths 
shows  the  practical  abandonment  of  the  professed  principles 
of  the  system. 

Dr.  Cormack,  of  England,  says,  patients  that  have  been 
attended  by  Homeopaths  often  come  to  him,  and  he  finds  the 
commonest  and  coarsest  of  the  "  ordinary  "  means  of  cure 
M'ithout  the  slightest  reference  to  the  homoeopathic  principle, 
are  used  by  them  hahitualbj. 

Dr.  Russell,  of  England,  in  an  address  published  in  the 
British  Journal  of  Homoeopathy,  adduced,  it  as  a  most  gratify- 
ing reflection  that,  naturally.  Homoeopathy  welcomed  and  could 
include  within  it,  the  cognate  sciences  and  curative  methods, 
such  as  hydropathy,  mesmeric  cures,  etc. 

Only  yesterday,  a  man  came  to  me  who  had  been  under 
the  care  of  a  homoeopathic  practitioner  of  this  city,  who,  after 
giving  him  imponderable  doses  for  a  long  time  with  no  effect, 
resorted  to  free  ordinary  doses,  as  he  said,  with  some  relief  of 
his  symptoms,  but  without  effecting  a  cure.* 

*This  case  was  one  of  cystic  irritation.  The  man  was  a  free  drinker  of 
strong  cotfoe,  and  was  advised  lo  discontinue  his  favorite  beverage,  but  no 
medicine  was  prescribed.  Wome  days  after  he  returned  witli  the  account  of 
freedom  from  hjs  lung  continued  and  distressing  symptoms.  Had  he  lalceu 
sugar  pellets  with  the  injunction  to  avoid  coffee,  leslitshould  counteract  their 
eUecis,  he  would  have  attributed  his  relief  to  the  medicine.  "Experience-' 
would  have  in'ovedits  eflicacy^j 


THIRD    LECTDKE.  VO 

Many  of  these  means,  outside  of  their  own  medicines, 
they  call "  therapeutic  auxiliaries" — helps  of  their  homoeopathic, 
remedies.  Ti*eating  patients  with  infinitesimals  until  they  sec 
something  else  must  be  done,  they  resort  to  these  other  meas- 
ures, but  attribute  the  cure  to  their  "infallible  specifics." 

One  is  reminded  of  the  story  of  the  drummer-boy,  who  is 
said  to  have  vaunted  that  he  had  defeated  the  French  at  Wa- 
terloo— though  he  allowed  at  the  same  time,  that  for  this  pur- 
pose he  had  incidentally  used  the  English  cannon,  cavalry,  and 
troops  as  his  "  auxiliaries''  in  the  work. 

How  diametrically  opposite  is  all  this'to  the  teachings  of 
Hahnemann  and  to  real  Homoeopathy !  "  For,"  says  Hahne- 
mann, in  the  prefixce  to  his  Organon^  p.  xi :  "  homoeopathy 
sheds  not  a  drop  of  blood  ;  administers  no  emetics,  purgatives, 
la.xatives,  or  diaphoretics  ;  drives  off  no  external  afl:*ections  by 
external  means ;  prescribes  no  warm  baths  or  medicated  clys- 
ters, applies  no  Spanish  flies  or  mustard  plasters,"  etc. 

We  thus  see.  Gentlemen,  that  homoeopathic  professions 
and  practices  by  no  means  correspond.  It  may  be  clauned 
that  this  system,  like  others,  is  progressive ;  but  when  it  is 
claimed  that  any  dogma  in  a  system  is  essential,  infallible  and 
universal,  any  progressing — any  change  from  it  is  abandon- 
ment. The  essential  doctrine  of  Homoeopathy — that  without 
Avhich  it  does  not  exist,  is  the  universality  of  the  principle 
that  "  like  cures  like.''''  To  be  sure,  attached  to  this,  and  as  a 
necessity  going  with  it,  are  several  other  principles  or  practi- 
ces, such  as  imponderable  doses,  eci.,  and  if  one  is  abandoned 
the  System  is  destroyed ;  and  certainly  if  the  fundamental,esseu- 
tial  principle  is  given  up,  all  is  gone.  The  principle  o^  shnilia 
similibus  is  so  definite  in  its  character,  and  so  broadly  and  posi- 
tively asserted  as  a  universal  law,  that  its  abandonment  in 
part  is  impossible — at  least,  is  fatal  to  the  claims  of  Homoeop- 
athy. Its  distinct  claim  is  to  the  discovery  of  an  infallible, 
universal  law  of  cure.  We  have  brought  sufficient  evidence 
from  the  statements  and  practices  of  its  own  acknowledged 
authorities  to  show  that  this  claim  of  universality  is  un- 
founded. 

In  the  next  lecture  we  shall  proceed  to  inquire  into  its 
claims  to  be  considered  as  a  law  of  cure  in  any  sense. 


HOMCEOPATHY. 


LECTURE    IV. 


Gentlemen. — As  intimated  in  the  lecture  of  ycstei'day, 
we  shall  now  proceed  to  the  examiuation  of  the  claims  of  this 
central  dogma  of  the  system  we  have  been  considering,  not  so 
much  as  to  its  being  a  universal  law,  as  to  its  being  any-  law 
at  all. 

That  the  principle  of  "  shnilia  similibus  cv.rantw^''  is  not 
the  only  infallible  laAV  of  cure,  the  testimony  and  practice  of 
Homceopaths  themselves,  as  already  shown,  has  proved.  Cer- 
tainly it  may  be  so  regarded  in  the  absence  of  any  direct 
proof  of  the  assumption. 

But  is  similia  similibus  a  law  ?  Does  like  cure  like 
with  sufficient  a2y2)arent  frequency  to  enable  us  to  regard 
it  as  a  principle  of  at  least  any  considerable  applicability  ? 

In  the  first  place  let  us  enquire,  what,  indeed,  is  meant  by 
like  curing  like?  How  much  like,  must  the  eftect  of  the  rem- 
edy be  to  the  disease. 

No  where  in  Hahnemann's  writings,  or  elsewhere,  so  far  as 
I  know,  has  the  amount  or  degree  of  similarity  been  accu- 
rately defined  that  will  make  the  agent  curative,  or  the  degree 
of  dissimilarity  that  will  cause  the  remedy  to  fail.  All  is  left 
vague  and  indefinite.  To  be  sure  Hahnemann  has  said  the 
eftect  of  the  remedy  must  not  be  identical,  but  similar  only. 

In  similarity  there  is  difference.      Hahnemann  further  says, 
11 


82  FOUHTII    LECTURE. 

the  similarity  must  be  the  greatest  possible,  yet,  nowhere 
docs  he  specify  the  degree  of  similarity  necessary  for  the  oper- 
ation of  the  "law."  Measles  is  so  similar  to  Small-Pox  that 
for  a  long  time  they  were  confounded  ;  yet  one  does  not  cure 
or  prevent  the  other;  and  the  case  of  Small-Pox  and  the  Vac- 
cine disease  so  often  referred  to  as  illustrating  the  *'  law,"  en- 
tirely fails  to  do  so,  when  closely  examined.  These  affections 
do  not  cure,  but  they  jt;?'eyen<  each  other — and  each  attack  of 
either  Small-Pox  or  the  Vaccine  disease,  will  prevent  other  at- 
tacks of  the  same  disease  in  the  same  person,  fully  as  effec- 
tually as  they  will  prevent  eacli  other.  Identity  \\cyq,  prevents, 
as  well  as  what  is  regarded  as  similarity  ;  and  the  Vaccine  dis- 
ease exhausts  the  susceptibility  of  the  system  to  Small-Pox 
because  of  its  essential  identity  with  it.  It  is  Small-Pox, 
modified  by  having  passed  through  the  body  of  the  cow.  But 
the  actions  of  medicines  have  no  analogy  to  the  actions  of 
these  diseases.  Medicines  do  not,  by  impressing  the  system, 
exhaust  its  susceptibility  to  another  imjjression,  either  of  the 
same  or  a  similar  medicine  ;  and  they  do  not  exhaust  the  sus- 
ceptibility to  a  disease  whose  symptoms  are  similar  to  their 
'effects.     No  one  pretends  this. 

In  the  alleged  examples  of  diseases  horaoeopathically  cur- 
ing each  other,  adduced  by  Hahnemann,  he  has  mentioned 
some  exceedingly  dissimilar — such  as  Small-Pox  curing  Dys- 
entery, Small-Pox  curing  Amaiyosis,  and  Dyspnoea,  and  Deaf- 
ness. He  seems  as  acute  in  seeing  a  likeness  where  he  wishes 
to,  as  Polonius. 

"  Do  you  see,"  says  Hamlet,  "  yonder  cloud  that's  almost 
in  shape  of  a  camel?  ''  "  By  the  mass,"  says  Polonius,  "  and 
it  is  like  a  camel,  indeed."  Ham.  •'  Methinks  its  like  a  wea- 
sle."  Pol.  "  It  is  backed  like  a  weasle.''  Ham.  "  Or  like  a 
whale?''     Pol.  "  Very  like  a  whale." 

It  must  be  acknowledged  that  Small-Pox  is  not  as  like 
Amaurosis,  etc.,  as  is  "possible." 

How  unsatisfactory  in  this  respect,  as  in  every  other,  is 
this  whole  system  ! 

The  principles  of  Alteration  and  Supersession  are  of  fre- 


FOUBTH   LECTURE.  83 

quent  application  in  Scientific  medicine.  By  Alteration  is  un- 
derstood the  action  of  a  medicine  upon  some  particular  dis- 
eased process,  changing  its  character  or  course,  rendering  it 
milder  or  shorter;  and  by  Supersession  is  meant  the  substitu- 
ting for  a  morbid  jorocess,  a  medicinal  impression  or  action  of 
a  less  severe  character,  or  shorter  continuance. 

These  therapeutic  princi[)les  are  similar  in  their  natures  and 
objects,  and  are  not  always  distinguishable  from  each  other. 
Considered  in  a  general  sense  as  the  same  therapeutic  law,  it  is 
illustrated  in  the  application  of  an  astringent  or  mild  caustic 
to  an  inflamed  or  granular  eye-lid,  or  to  an  ill-conditioned 
ulcer ;  and  also  in  the  application  of  Tincture  of  Iodine,  or  a 
Solution  of  Bromine  to  Erysipelas,  or  other  forms  of  external 
inflammation  ;  and  of  the  apjjlication  of  Nitrate  of  Silver,  or 
Oil  ol  Turpentine,  to  a  chronic,  or  low  form  of  inflammation  of 
the  stomach  or  bowels.  This  is  claimed  by  the  Homoeopaths  as 
treatment  in  accordance  with  the  principle  of  like  curing  like, 
as  these  articles  applied  to  the  healthy  jaart  would  produce 
more  or  less  disturbance,  resembling  in  some]  degree  the  con- 
dition sought  to  be  cured. 

Now,  if  such  changes — such  alterative  or  substitutive 
effects,  are  Homoeopathic — then  is  the  Homoeopathic  principle 
one  of  the  laws  of  cure  ;  but  a  law  of  cure  which  has  ever  been 
recognized  from  the  dawn  of  medical  science,  and  which  ever 
will  be  recognized  as  long  as  the  art  is  practised  by  sensible 
men.  It  is  a  law  of  cure  of  quite  extensive  application ;  but 
by  no  means  applying  to  all,  or  even  a  very  large  proportion 
of  cases. 

But  is  this  kind  of  action  properly  Homoeopathic  ?  Is  the 
cure  effected  in  consequence  of  the  similarity  of  the  medi- 
cinal action  to  that  of  the  disease,  or  in  consequence  of  the 
medicinal  action  differing  from  it? 

Dr.  J.  C.  Peter?,  of  New  York,  already  spoken  of,  raised 
this  question  some  years  ago,  and  his  argument  which  strikes 
at  the  very  root  and  foundation  of  the  Homoeopathic  "  law,"  has 
never  been  successfully  answered. 

Certainly  the  substituted  action  is  a  different  one,  and  it 


84  FOrUTII    LKCTURE. 

overcoiiK'S  tlii-  morbid  action,  because  il  is  dillereiit.     Its  pro- 
ducing iu  sonic  cases  somewliat  similar  etrects  is  a  mere  incider.t 
— is  by  no  means  necessory  to  tlic  curative   action,   and   is  as 
lai-  as  i)ossible  from  being  the  reason  of  tlie  remedial  eifcct. 

Dr.  Peters  justly  says,  that  a  thing  Avhich  resembles  an- 
other is  not  identical  with  it,  but  it  differs  more  or  less,  l^e- 
semblanc3  always  includes  some  dittereuce.  Hence,  a  remedy 
whicli  acts  similarly  to  a  given  disease,  also  acts  somewhat 
diff'ureiithi  from  that  disease. 

If  there  be  an  identity  in  the  actio;i  of  the  r.'medy  and 
that  of  the  disease,  then  can  there  be  no  cure,  but  an  aggra- 
vation. If  the  similarity  or  homceopathicity  between  the  ac- 
tion of  the  remedy  and  the  disease  be  too  great,  then  will  there 
be  aggravation  instead  of  cure.  But  in  i)roportion  as  the  simi- 
larity grows  less,  and  the  difference  increases,  so  will  the  rem- 
edy alter,  change,  remove,  take  the  place  of,  or  cure  the  dis- 
ease. Our  remedies  then  produce  an  effect  different  from  the 
disease.  This  difference  may  be  so  great  as  to  amount  to  an- 
tagonism— antagonism  being  the  greatest  degree  of  difference 
— or  the  difference  may  be  so  slight,  as  to  morge  into  similar- 
ity; for  similarity  is  merely  a  lesser  or  least  degree  of  differ- 
ence. 

No  remedy  can  cure  any  disease,  unless  there  is  some  dlf- 
/erence  between  its  action  and  that  of  the  disease  it  is  given  to 
cure  :  otherwise  it  would  not  alter,  modify,  change,  or  substi- 
tute its  action  for  that  of  the  disease.  If  there  is  no  difference 
between  the  action  of  the  remedy  and  that  of  the  disease,  then 
each  dose  or  application  of  the  drug  would  only  add  so  mucli 
more  to  the  disease — would  aggravate  it.  In  other  words,  the 
greater  the  homceopathicity,  at  least,  after  going  beyond  a  cre- 
tain  point,  the  more  it  will  aggravate  ;  Avhcn,  of  ecurfi^e,  a  suf- 
ficient dose  is  given  to  produce  a  sensible  eflect. 

Now,  in  a  vast  majority  of  internal  diseases,  where  a  med- 
icine whose  effect  strongly  resembles  the  disease,  is  given  in 
doses  sufficient  to  produce  any  sensible  effect,  an  aggravation 
is  produced — the  patients  are  made  worse  but  [not  better  by 
the  drug.     In  proportion  as  the  similarity  grows  less  between 


FOUUTll    LECTURE.  H5 

the  action  of  the  roinedy  and  that  of  the  disease  to  be  cured, 
so,  as  a  general  rule,  will  tlie  chance  of  altering,  modifying,  or 
changing  the  disease  into  something  milder  or  better,  increase ; 
that  is,  the  less  the  similarity  or  homoeopathicity,  and  the 
greater  the  difference  or  allojjathicity  (if  you  please),  so  will 
the  chances  of  improvement  or  cure  increase ;  but  of  course 
the  dose  must  be  large  enough  to  produce  an  alteration,  or 
change,  or  modification,  or  lessening  of  the  disease.  Infinit- 
esimals— certainly,  unless  potentized,  will  produce  no  percep- 
tible effect.  I  repeat  the  point  to  which  I  wish  to  call  partic- 
ular attention,  that  the  fact  of  an  agent  producing  a  somewhat 
similar  condition  to  the  disease  it  modifies,  where  given  to  a 
person  in  health,  is  a  mere  incident  or  accident  of  its  action, 
and  not  of  an  essentially  curative  nature.  It  is  one  of  the 
strangest  phenomena  of  the  human  mind,  that  this  mere  acci- 
dent of  some  remedial  agents,  should  have  been  seized  upon 
and  exalted  into  a  law  of  cure  ;  especially  into  one  universal, 
sole  law  of  cure. 

But  in  the  greater  number  of  cases,  says  Dr.  Peters,  the 
remedies  given  by  the  Homoeopaths  have  no  kind  of  homceo- 
pathic  relation  to  the  disease  intended  to  be  cured;  or  at  least 
a  very  slight  one.  Morbid  conditions  are  so  exceedingly  di- 
verse, and  the  Materia  Medica  of  the  Homoeopaths  so  limited; 
the  effects  of  medicines  are  so  imperfectly  known,  and  their 
relations  to  symptoms  so  slight  and  illydefined,  that  if  the  prin- 
ciple of  "like  cures  like"  were  a  true  one,  its  application  would 
be  too  imperfect  and  difficult  to  render  it  of  value. 

In  examining  the  works  of  Homoeopathic  writers,  one 
cannot  but  be  impressed,  by  the  extreme  looseness  and  inaccu- 
racy of  their  statements,  admitting  the  correctness  of  their 
pretended,  law.  They  all  seem  to  see  likenesses  where  they 
do  not  exist,  or  where  they  are  of  the  most  obscure  and  doubt- 
ful character ;  and  most  absurdly  attribute  changes  to  the 
effects  of  their  medicines  which  occur  in  the  natural  course  of 
disease.  The  pretended  similarity  of  the  effects  of  their  rem- 
edies to  the  phenomena  of  the  diseases  they  are  given  to  cure, 
have,  in  most  of  the  cases,  no  reality.     The  Homoeopaths,  for 


86  FOURTH    LECTUEE. 

example,  declare  that  Pleurisy  will  be  cured  in  twenty-four 
hours  by  Aconite.  Will  that  agent  cause  a  pleurisy,  or  any- 
thing like  it  ?  Who  could  have  the  hardihood  even  to  pretend 
that  such  is  the  fact?  Such  similarity  certainly  does  not  exist 
between  tlie  effects  of  remedies  and  the  phenomena  of  those 
diseases  most  certainly  known  to  bj  cured  by  them. 

If  anything  is  certain  in  Therapeutics — if  there  are  any 
specifics  in  medicine,  they  are  to  bo  found  in  quinine  for  ague 
— in  sulphur  for  scabies  or  the  itch — in  lemon-juice  and  succu- 
lent vegetables  for  scurvy — in  iodine  for  goitre — and  in  col- 
chicum,  at  least  as  a  palliative,  for  gout.  Now  does  the  effect 
of  either  of  these  remedies  resemble  the  symptoms  of  the  dis- 
eases they  are  respectively  known  to  cure  ?  Will  quinine  pro- 
duce intermittent  fever,  or  anything  like  it  ?  Of  medical  men 
I  need  not  ask  this  question.  Many  of  you,  Gentlemen,  have 
been  in  the  army.  Most  of  you  have  seen  quinine  adminis- 
tered there  or  elsewhere,  in  a  great  variety  of  doses,  large  and 
small ;  and  for  longer  and  shorter  periods  of  time.  Have  you 
ever  known  a  case  where  the  occurrence  of  ague  was  attributed 
to  the  action  of  this  agent  ?  General  experience,  in  thousands 
upon  thousands  of  cases,  denies  any  such  results  ;  and  partic- 
ular experiments  by  Simpson,  and  others,  have  failed  to  produce 
any  such  effects.  IIow  quinine  does  operate  in  curing  the 
ague,  we  may  not  positively  know.  Probably,  either  by  neu- 
tralizing the  malarial  poison,  or  by  restoring  some  needed 
element  to  the  system,  or  by  impressing  it  insuch  a  manner 
as  to  prevent  the  effects  of  the  poison ;  but  in  neither  of  these 
supposed  modes  of  its  action  is  there  the  slightest  evidence 
that  the -principle  of  similia  simillbus  has  any  part.  On  the 
contrary,  it  is  certain  that  no  such  principle   operates  in  the 

case. 

Sulphur  is  well  known  to  cure  the  itch.  But  will  it  pro- 
duce it,  or  anything  essentially  resembling  it?  Genuine  itch 
which  sulphur  so  certainly  cures,  is  produced  by  a  parasitic 
insect  burrowing  into  the  skin,  Avhich  the  sulphur  kills,  but  does 
not  produce.  The  idea  that  it  produces  its  effects  on  the  prin- 
ciple of  similia  similibus  curantur  is  too '  absurd  to  admit  of 
discussion.^"  _^  , 


FOURTH    LECTURE.  87 

Will  lemon-juice  and  fresh  vegetables  cauBe  the  scurvy  ? 
or  colchicum  the  gouL  ?  It  has  already  been  shown  that  iodine 
do8s  not  cause  the  goitre.  The  virtues  of  all  these  articles 
became  known,  not  from  experiments  upon  the  well,  and  de- 
ductions from  such  experiments,  but  from  observations  upon 
the  sick.  The  facts  stand  out  by  themselves,  unconnected  with 
any  vague,  absurd,  or  fanciful  universal  principle. 

These  illustrations  might  be  extendod  indefinitely — at 
least,  as  far  as  cures  are  eftected  by  remedial  agencies  ;  and 
on  investigation  we  should  find  the  same  results.  The  pre- 
vention of  small-pox  by  vaccination,  so  frequently  adduced  to 
illustrate  the  homoeopathic  "  law,"  we  liave  already  seen  has 
no  analogy  to  the  operation  of  medicines  in  curing  disease  ; 
and  if  it  had,  the  statement  of  Hahnemann  that  the  "remedy 
must  be  somewhat  stronger  than  the  disease,  in  order  to  over- 
come it,"  would  lead  to  the  position  that  the  vaccine  disease 
is  somewhat  stronger  than  the  small-pox  ;  a  position  that  one 
who  has  observed  both  could  not  admit. 

The  application  of  snow  to  frozen  parts  has  already  been 
shown  to  operate  on  a  principle  entirely  dilFerent  from  the  ho- 
moeopathic law  it  is  so  constantly  brought  forward  to  illustrate. 
Rubbing  snow  upon  the  frozen  part,  like  pouring  cold  water 
upon  a  frosted  plant,  simply  makes  the  thawing  more  gradual, 
and  thereby  preserves  the  vitality ;  as  the  slow  change  from 
the  frozen  to  the  thawed  condition  of  the  potato  deep  in  the 
earth,  keeps  it  alive  and  fresh. 

The  effects  of  moderate,  but  not  infinitesimal  doses  of  ipe- 
cacuanha in  arresting  some  forms  of  nausea  and  vomiting, 
more  nearly  resembles  the  operation  of  the  alleged  homoeop- 
athic law,  than  any  other  internal  remedy  which  I  can  now 
call  to  mind ;  but  this  produces  its  effects  by  impressing  the 
stomach  in  a  manner  differently  from  the  previous  state.  But 
should  we  admit  that  there  is  a  grain  of  truth  in  this  principle 
— that  it  has  a  certain  limited  application,  we  are  fully  entitled 
to  use  it,  as  we  profess  no  exclusive  system,  are  limited  by  no 
dogmas,  bound  by  no  arbitrary  rules,  fixed  in  no  grooves  that 
keep  us  from  any  truth,  new  or  old,  coming  from  whatever 


88  I'ouraii  i-ectuke. 

Kourcc  it  may.  Wc  coulil  act  upon  the  jninciple,  even  without 
being  indebteil  to  tlie  honia'opathic  fraternity;  as  we  have 
shown  that  it  was  taught  long  before  the  time  of  their  founder. 
But  the  whole  field  of  truth  is  before  us — belongs  to  us. 

"  No  pent-up  Utica  contracts  our  powers, 
The  whole  unbounded  continent  is  ours." 

Dr.  Marcy,  in  his  Iloraocopathic  Practice,  after  referring 
to  the  principles  of  Antipathy,  and  Allopathy,  and  the  Chemi- 
cal methods  of  treatment,  says  :  "  AUopathists  do  not,  how- 
ever, uniformly  adhere  to  any  of  the  above  doctrines,  but  often 
encroach  upon  homoeopathic  ground,  and  by  practicing  accord- 
ing to  the  law  oi  similia  similibiis  curantur,  cifect  their  speed- 
iest and  safest  cures,"  He  afterwards  goes  on  with  an  imper- 
tinence and  disregard  of  truth  which  might  be  provoking  were 
it  not  too  puerile  and  ridiculous,  and  exclaims — "Gentlemen 
of  the  Old  School,  your  practice  too  often  belies  your  profession ; 
you  pretend  to  be  AUopathists  and  Antipathists  (precisely  the 
thing  we  don't  do — just  the  thing  we  repudiate),  while  con- 
stantly administering  medicines  after  the  manner  of  the  Ilomoe- 
opathists."  (Not  quite  thus,  either.)  "  Where  is  your  pride, 
where  your  consistency  ?  You  have  the  boast  of  antiquity, 
you  have  received  your  'bundle  of  ideas'  from 'Hippocrates 
and  Galen,  to  whom  you  pay  reverence  and  allegiance — you 
disdain  innovations  and  despise  discoveries  and  improvements; 
you  have  withstood  the  changes  of  more  than  two  thousand 
years,  and  by  your  powerful  dicta  have  continually  discouraged 
all  original  induction,  and  endeavored  to  crush  in  the  bud  every 
advancement  in  medical  knowledge  !" 

Gentlemen,  you  know  how  utterly  and  intensely  untrue 
all  this  is.  The  man  that  could  write  such  a  paragraph  as  this 
is  capable  of  anything  in  the  way  of  reckless  statement  and 
outrageous  misrepresentation.  No  confidence  can  be  placed 
in  anything  he  should  afiirm. 

Instead  of  professing  to  be  AUopathists  and  Antipathists, 
we  repudiate  these  appellations  give  i  to  us  by  these  men  ;  and 
ignoring  all  terms  indicating  the  belief  in  exclusive  systems, 
we  call  ourselves  simply  Physicians,  and   strive  to  administer 


KOUBTII    LECTURK.  89 

medicines  only  after  the  methods  which  science,  reason,  com- 
mon sense  and  experience  may  dictate.  Although  we  have  the 
boast  of  antiquity,  and  pay  due  respect  to  Hippocrates  and 
Galen,  but  few  of  the  principles  upon  whicli  we  now  proceed 
are  obtained  from  them  ;  and  as  to  disdaining  innovations,  we 
seek  for,  and  embrace  ihom,  often  with  iinj^rudent  hasto  ;  and 
discoveries  and  improvements  are  our  special  claim  a«d  our 
highest  glory.  Instead  of  withstanding  the  changes  of  two 
thousand  years,  those  we  have  effected  are  innumerable  ;  and 
we  are  continually  encouraging  original  induction,  and  are 
promoting  every  advancement  in  medical  knowledge.  Most 
of  the  history  of  the  triumphs  of  modern  science  would  be 
included  in  that  of  the  regular  profession,  and  every  material 
advancement  in  the  science  of  life,  of  lieallh  and  of  disease, 
are  due  to  its  members.  Nothing,  indeed,  can  be  more  absurd 
than  the  charge  that  the  regular  profession  opposes  discoveries 
and  improvements  ;  and  this  must  be  evident  Avhen  we  con- 
sider that  in  its  ranks  stand  Harvey,  Jenner,  and  Hunter ; 
Pai'e,  Sydenham,  and  Cullen ;  Booerhave,  Haller,  and  Henle ; 
Andral,  Lacnneck,  and  Louis ;  Larrey,  Dupuytren,  and  Vel- 
peau;  Warren,  Mott,  andMussey ;  Liebig,  Owen,  and  Carpen- 
ter; Esquirol,  Prichard,  and  Brigham ;  Bartlett,  Drake,  and 
Wood;  Atlee,  Sims,  and  Simpson  ;  Garrod,  Beales,  and  John- 
son, and  a  host  of  others,  equally  worthy  of  mention,  who  with 
cacli  issue  of  our  periodicals,  and  in  the  more  permanent  pro- 
ductions of  the  press,  are  constantly  presenting  to  the  world 
of  science,  accounts  of  new  experiments  carefully  conducted, 
and  of  new  facts  clearly  demonstrated ;  and  from  these,  new 
principles  are  deduced,  new  suggestions  constantly  arc  made, 
and  new  modes  of  practice  instituted.  Indeed,  so  many  7ieio 
facts  and  principles  are  urged  upon  our  attention,  that  we  are 
in  danger  of  neglecting  the  old  ones  which  have  withstood  the 
test  of  time.  Thus  changes  are  constant,  and  every  real  im- 
provement is  at  once  embraced.  In  no  dej^artment  of  science 
or  art  are  chan  ;es  more  readily  effected,  and  improvements 
more  rapidly  made  than  in  regular  medicine. 

For  the  three-quarters  of  a  century  that  Homoeopathy  has 
12 


00  riKinii  i.Ei  ruiMc. 

iiuml)iM-L'cl  its  :ulli(.'rc'iits,  to  \vli;it  sii);^lo  iiiiprovcmcnt  in  science 
can  they  poinl  U'^  the  I'nii',  of  tlit'ir  l;il)ors?  What  single  man 
cnn  they  sliow  iis  among  thoin,  who  lias  a'lvanced  Pathqlogy, 
Surgery,  Physiology,  Diagnosis,  Chcmisiry,  or  even  their  spe- 
ciality, Therapeutics  V  Why,  their  oNvn  Journals  complain  in 
the  bitterest  majiner  of  their  paucity  (»f  talent,  and  deficiency 
of  progress. 

In  the  ironneopathic  l'.  S.  M,:  I.  <ui'l  Snrij.  Journal  for 
Jan.,  18G7,  p.  212,  we  lind  the  lollowing  lamentation:  "A 
leaden  apathy  has  lor  a  long  time  past  l)een  upon  our  honiffi- 
l)athic  physicians  East.  We  want  solid  acquirements  every- 
where ;  "vvc  want  in  our  schools  more  pathologists  and  learned 
physicians— as  Bennett,  Watson  and  a  score  of  othois.  Writers, 
for  instance,  upon  female  diseases,  and  ihvir  surgical  and  me- 
chanical treatmemt;  and  writers  on  obstetrics,  such  as  Bennett 
of  London,  Sims,  Simjjson,  and  Barnes.  When  will  issue  from 
our  ranks,  writers  of  such  worth  as  Ilayer,  Casenave,  or  Wilson 
on  diseases  of  the  skin?  Louis,  Andral  and  Skoda,  on  diseases 
of  the  chest — West  on  diseases  of  children — Ricord  on  syphilis ; 
or  such  pathologists  as  Rokitansky,  Vircliow,  or  Hock?  Hom- 
iEopathy  is  here  a  humiliated  beggar  to  Allopathy.  Produce 
— produce  !  Were  it  but  the  pitifuilest  iniinitesitii  il  fraction 
of  a  product,  produce  it,  in  God's  name  I" 

But  this  cry,  like  the  calling  upon  Baal,  though  like  his 
p:iests  they  cut  themselves  with  stones,  will  be  in  vain.  Men 
Avho  believe,  or  even  pretend  to  believe,  in  such  doctrines  as 
we  have  been  discussing,  will  never  produce  such  works  as  are 
called  for.     Never. 

If  we  analyze  the  systems  of  medicine  which  arc  arrayed 
in  opposition  to  the  regular  school,  we  shall  find  them  based 
upon  exaggerated  notions  of  the  importance  of  some  one  frag- 
ment of  legitimate  medicine.  Thus  the  Thompsonian,  and  its 
successor,  the  so-called  Kch-.-tic  School,  is  based  upon  the 
use  of  vegetable  rcmedic:,  especially  of  the  indigenous  kind, 
and  upon  oi)position  to  the  use  of  mineral  remedies,  especi- 
ally raereiry.  This  school  flourished  for  a  time  upon  this  strict 
basis.     But  noAV  the  Eclectics  are  coming  back  to  the  regular 


I'OrKTH    LECTURK.  91 

methods — usincrall  oui-inhu'r.il  remedies,  even  morcurv,  as  ibov 
may  judge  occasion  requires.  Their  doses  and  mixtures  arc 
not  very  different,  and  their  [.rinci[)h.'S  of  practice  are  ahnost 
identical  wilh  those  of  the  regular  scliool.  They  quote  all  our 
leading  authorities,  atid  ni  my  of  our  standard  works  and  our 
periodicals  for  their  knowledge  of  Anatomy,  I'liysiology,  Sur- 
gery, Pathology,  Obstetrics,  and  nine-tenths  of  their  Materia 
Medica  and  Therapeutics — and  what  new  reuiedios  they  have 
discovered  are  being  added  to  our  conmion  stock.  The  time 
is  not  distant  when  they  will  abandon  their  si:)Ocial  notions,  and 
will  be  merged  in  the  regular  profession  they  are  approaching. 

The  Hydropathists,  simply  use  cold  water  to  the  exclusion 
of  everything  else — a  remedy  which  has  always  been  a  stan- 
dard article  in  the  regular  profession.  The  same  with  regard 
to  the  "Movement  Cure" — Electropathy — Inhalation  Cure,  etc. 

And  thus  have  we  seen  the  case  with  IIouKeopathy.  Em- 
bracing an  idea  always  fanciful,  but  held  from  time  inimemor- 
ial,  exaggerating  it  into  a  universal  law — connecting  with  it  a 
"bundle  of  ideas,"  grov.ing  out  of  the  exaggeration— these 
ideas  are  being  rejected  one  by  one, — the  exaggeration  is 
■psing  its  unnatural  proportions,  and  all  will  in  time  return  to 
the  "  Static  quo  ante  bellum.'''' 

While,  however,  the  war  upon  legitimate  medicine  is  profit- 
able, it  will  continue.  While  there  is  a  demand  for  this  kind 
of  practice  there  Avill  be  a  supply ;  and  our  only  hope  of  victory 
over  the  enemy — for  enemies  to  true  science  we  are  obliged  to 
consider  the  members  of  this  homoeopathic  fraternity — is  to 
destroy  the  demand  by  a  proper  enlightenment  of  the  people_ 
One  object,  I  have  had,  in  discussing  this  subject,  has  been  to 
aid  you  in  obtaining  the  means  of  so  doing. 

We  have  now,  Gentlemen,  presented  and  reviewed  all  the; 
chief  and  essential  original  doctrines  of  Homoeopathy.  You 
will  readily  call  to  mind  that  we  have  found  them  to  consist  of: 
1st,  The  principle  of  Slmilla  Siniillbus  Curantur,  as  a  univer- 
sal law.  2d.  The  prescribing  of  medicines  for  symj^toms 
alone.     3d,  Infinitesimal  doses.     4tb,    Potentization — the   de- 


P2  F(1UUTII    LECTURE. 

vclopment  of  luw  iiower  by  trituration  and  sliaking.  otli, 
The  special  mode  of  preparation  by  trituration  with  Sugar  of 
Milk,  and  by  shaking  with  alcohol  or  alcohol  and  water,  the 
dilutions  on  the  centesimal  scale.  6th,  The  prescribing  of  sin- 
gle, simple  medicines  at  a  time.  Tth,  The  method  of  prov- 
ings.  8th,  The  mode  of  administration  by  placing  the  med- 
icines upon  the  tongue,  and  by  olfaction  or  smelling.  9th, 
The  Psora  or  Itch  doctrine  ;  and  some  others  of  minor  import- 
ance. 

In  tlic  review  we  have  seen  that  none  of  these   doctrines 
will  stand  the  test  of  critical  examination  ;  and  each  of  them 
is  repudiated  by  leading  Homoeopathic    authors   themselves 
while  all  of  them  are  generally  ignored  in  the  daily  practice  of 
their  professed  adherents. 

What  then,  you  naturally  inquire,  is  left  of  this  system? 
As  a  system  of  medical  doctrines,  if  not  already  extinct,  it 
seems  rapidly  tending  to  dissolution.  There  is,  however,  a 
sect  and  an  organization  existing,  constantly  in  the  field,  pre- 
tending to  an  improved  method  of  practice,  opposing  with 
vigor  the  Regular  School  of  physicians,  yet  seeking  on  occa- 
sions to  obtrude  themselves  into  association  with  them ;  and 
without  stating  to  the  public  their  distinctive  doctrines — gen- 
erally concealing,  if  not  denying,  their  infinitesimal  absurdities 
— they  are  constantly  pushing  their  claims  to  recognition,  and 
appealing  to  that  public  for  patronage  and  support,  availing 
themselves  of  the  ignorance  prevailing  on  these  subjects,  and 
of  the  existing  prejudices  which  they  use  every  means  to  in- 
crease. 

All  deal  in  sugar  pellets  and  tasteless  solutions, — sufficient 
at  least  to  keep  up  appearances, — but  most  of  them  use  larger 
doses  on  what  they  would  call  Allopathic  principles,  accord- 
ing to  their  knowledge  or  presumption;  and  as  a  rule  attribute 
every  recovery  which  occurs  in  their  ijracticc,  Avhether 
from  the  powers  of  Nature,  or  the  effects  of  so-called  Allopathic 
treatment,  to  the  Ilomojopathic  remedies. 

Speaking,  as  it  seems  to  me  without  prtyudice,  and  cer- 
tainly without  passion ;  and  with  an  earnest  desire   to  present 


FOURTH   LECTURE.  93 

the  exact  truth — to  say  nothing  which  you  will  find  to  be  oth- 
erwise— this  is  what  I  fully  believe  to  be  the  present  Homoeo- 
pathy which  surrounds  us;  and  I  ai)pcal  to  your  judgment 
whether  this  conclusion  is  not  justified  ; — is  not  indeed  forced 
upon  us  by  the  examination  in  which  we  have  been  engaged. 

There  remains  but  one  thing  farther  to  be  considered,  and 
it  is  the  one  which  carries  more  influence  with  the  public  than 
everything  else,  and  that  is,  the  claim  of  experience  and  suc- 
cess. It  should  however  be  remembered  that  all  medical  doc- 
trines however  absurd,  and  all  systems  of  practice  however 
useless  or  destructive,  have  claimed  to  be  sustained  by  exper- 
ience. • 

The  testimony  of  the  experience  of  the  most  reliable  wit- 
nesses, induced  the  British  Parliament  to  pay  a  sum  of  money 
to  Perkins  for  the  communication  of  the  secret  of  his  useless 
Tractors ;  and  all  the  nostrums  of  the  present  and  the  past 
are  accompanied  with  testimony   of  their  wonderful    effects. 

The  evidence  that  is  required  to  prove  or  disprove  any 
proposition  in  medicine  is  of  a  peculiar  kind.  Says  Dr.  Moore, 
"  It  differs  entirely  from  that  species  of  proof  which  satisfies  a 
court  of  law."  The  declarations  or  oaths  of  the  most  consci- 
entious and  able  men  are  insufficient  to  establish  or  even  ren- 
der probable,  in  very  many  cases,  the  fact  of  a  cure  having 
been  effected  by  a  supposed  remedy.  "  The  reason  of  this  is, 
that  few  men,  even  those  of  considerable  capacity,  distinguish 
between  opinion  and  fact,";^especially  in  reference  to  medical 
subjects. 

When  a  man  or  woman  asserts  that  he  or  she  has  been 
cured  of  a  particular  disease  by  a  drug,  the  imj^ression  is  a 
confident  one  that  asingle/ac^is  stated  ;  whereas  tioo  opi7iions 
are  declared,  both  of  which  may  be  entirely  erroneous.  The 
first  opinion  is  that  the  patient  had  the  disease,  and  the  second 
is  that  the  medicine  removed  it.  These  opinions  are  made  uji, 
partly  from  the  person's  own  sensations  and  previous  informa- 
tion, and  partly  from  the  declarations  of  those  around  him.  It 
is  well  known  that  sensations  are  deceptive  and  their  tes- 
timony imperfect ;  previous  information  may  be  meager  and 


94  rOURTH    I-ECTURB. 

iuaocurratc,  ami  the  statfinciits  of  attendants  may  he  errone- 
ous or  false. 

A  patient  recovered  from  an  illness  during  which  he  has 
received  attention  and  kindness,  is  induced  by  gratitude  and 
all  his  better  feelings  to  attribute  his  recovery  to  the  means 
used,  whether  they  arc  really  efficient  or  not.  He  is  thus 
easily  prevailed  upon  to  state  strongly,  or  even  swear  posi- 
tively, to  the  existence  of  a  particular  disease,  and  the  curative 
efficiency  of  the  remedy  employed,  whereas,  the  truth  may  be, 
that  the  disease  he  thought  himself  affected  with,  never 
existed,  and  the  medicine  had  nothing  to  do  Avith  his 
recovery.  Thus  we  have  sworn  statements,  doubtless  sincerely 
made,  of  cures  of  cancers  and  other  diseases  incurable,  as  Avell 
as  of  disorders  which  have  disappeared  of  themselves — by 
their  own  self-limitation. 

Dr.  Moore  says,  that  in  Europe,  "  clergymen,  judges,  and 
peers  are  daily  swearing  that  they  have  been  cured  of  incura- 
ble diseases ;  but  the  meanest  apothecary  smiles  with  contempt 
when  he  reads  their  splendid  testimonials."  Whether  the 
remedy  be  Bishop  Burkley's  Tar-water,  Dr.  Morrison's  pills, 
Mr.  Perkins'  Metallic  Tractors,  Priessnitz's  cold  water,  Swain's 
Panacea,  or  old  Dr.  Jacob  Townsend's  Sarsaparilla,  sworn 
certificates  to  any  extent  have  always  been  obtainable  from 
the  most  respectable  sources.  Illustrations  of  the  fallacies  of 
tills  kind  of  experience,  even  in  scientific  hands,  might  be  ad- 
duced to  any  extent. 

The  late  Prof.  Chomel,  of  Paris,  makes  a  statement  as 
evidence  of  the  care  necessary  in  drawing  conclusions,  which 
you  will  allow  mc  to  quote : — "  The  common  holly  having  been 
much  praised  as  a  remedy  for  ague,  he  determined  to  test  it  in 
the  Hospital  La  Charite.  *  *  Twenty-two  cases  of  the 
disease  were  directed  to  him.  After  their  admission,  be  pur- 
jjosely  abstained  from  all  treatment  for  several  days,  in  order 
to  see  that  they  Avere  well  marked  cases.  He  found  that  of  the 
twenty-two,  sey«i  never  had  another  paroxysm,  ,/bwr  had  par- 
oxysms of  decreasing  intensity,  eif/ht  had  nothing  but  symp- 
tomatic paroxysms,  connected  with  slight  inflammation  of  the 


FOUR'in    I,ECTURE.  95 

mucoiis  moiubranes,  which  yielded  to  simple  aiitii)hlogistio 
treatment;  three  only  were  fit  subjects  for  experiments,  i.  e., 
had  essential  intermittent  fever,  preserving  all  its  intensity  for 
three  or  four  paroxysms.  The  remedy  (holly)  was  'given  to 
these,  but  entirely  failed  in  all  of  them.  Quinine  was  then 
given  in  the  ordinary  way  and  the  i)aroxysms  were  immedi- 
ately stopped.  If,  from  the  day  of  admission  the  remedy  had 
been  jxiveu  to  the  whole,  the  conclusion  would  have  been  that 
it  had  cured  nineteen  out  of  twenty-two — and  the  thi-ee  cases — 
the  only  ones  proper  to  test  the  remedy,  would  have  been  re- 
garded as  exceptional."     London  Lancet,  1841-2.  ^j.  107. 

The  fallacious  character  of  homoeopathic  experience,  so 
often  contradictory  and  absurd,  wo  have  observed  as  we  pass- 
ed over  onr  subject. 

In  estimating  the  value  of  all  experience  iu  medicine, 
under  whatever  system,  it  must  be  remembered  that  a  large 
proportion  of  sick  persons  as  commonly  met  with  in  practice, 
would  recover  without  medicine,  under  ordinary  nnrsing  and 
the  direction  of  some  one  in  whom  they  had  confidence.  It 
should  also  be  remembered  when  comparing  the  success  of  any 
plan  or  nostrum  with  orthodox  medicine,  that  the  efticacy  of 
much  of  the  latter,  even  when  used  sectcndem  artem,  is  at  least 
doubtful ;  and  if  nnskillfully  used,  becomes  positively  hurtful. 
We  must  also  take  into  the  account  the  mistakes  that  are  made 
in  diagnosis  ;  the  uncertainties  in  the  most  skillful  hands  aris- 
ing from  difl:erencos  of  constitutions,  and  other  peculiarities 
which  cannot  be  anticipated,  and  the  imperfections  in  the 
judgment  of  even  well  trained  medical  men.  In  accounting 
for  popular  judgment,  we  must  remember  that  the  people  gen- 
erally attribute  all  recoveries  to  the  medicines  used  with  that 
object;  and  in  accounting  for  that  judgment  when  applied  to 
homoeopathic  treatment,  we  must  consider  the  greatly  exagger- 
ated reports  of  favorable  results  ;  and  the  persistent  reiterations 
of  unscrupulous  men  and  their  enthusiastic  adherents.  When 
all  these  things  are  considered,  we  need  not  be  surprised  at 
the  deceptions  of  experience,  even  when  the  homoeopathic 
practice  is  adhered  tajaixd  where,  as  is  so  often  the  case,  it  is 


9G  rounrii  lecture. 

abandoucd,  and  elliciout  means  are  used  in  cases  requiring 
active  interference,  tlie  general  evidence  ot  liomoeopathic  ex- 
perience becomes  positively  and  entirely  worthless. 

But  I  must  not  deal  in  these  general  statements  without 
illustrations  and  evidence.  Two  homoeopathic  pliysicians  in 
Cincinnati  reported  that  in  1840,  they  treated  lllG  cases  of 
genuine  cliolera,  witli  a  loi?s  of  only  35 — oh  per  cent. — and  this 
statement  has  been  the  standing  formula  of  the  success  of  Ho- 
mosopathy  in  articles,  reports,  addresses,  etc.,  of  the  adherents 
of  this  school  in  this  country  ever  since. 

In  the  Jivitlsh  Journal  of  llomcepatJuj,  (vol.  lo,  p.  120) 
an  account  is  given  of  the  statement  of  a  Dr,  Stens,  that  the 
mortality  of  IIoma'0})atluc  treatment  of  cholera  is  only  8^  per 
cent,  but  the  Editor  says:  "Wc  should  rejoice  very  much 
were  this  tlie  case  ;  but,  alas !  we  know  from  sad  experience 
that  it  is  at  least  three  times  as  high  as  here  stated." 

Dr.  Gerstel  reported  (see  vol.  13  p.,  329)  to  an  AiTStrian 
Medical  Society  that  he  had  treated  300  severe  cases  of  cholera 
with  a  loss  of  about  10  per  cent ;  but  Avhen  an  offer  was  made  to 
him  to  i^ractice  under  the  control  of  the  District  Supei'intend- 
ent.  Dr.  Nushard,  in  order  to  establish  the  proofs  of  the  suc- 
cess of  such  treatment,  it  was  declined. 

In  the  British  Journal  of  Homojopathy,  (vol.  V,  p.  179) 
Dr.  Russell,  one  of  its  editors,  says:  "We  cannot  heljJ  (Im- 
precating the  boastful  tone  we  so  often  hear  assumed  by  Hom- 
oeopathists  on  this  subject — the  treatment  of  Cholera.'''  "It 
would  argue  a  singular  callousnes.s  of  feeling  not  to  be  pene- 
trated with  a  profound  sense  of  the  comparative  impotence 
of  our  art  in  arresting  or  even  greatly  modifying  this  terrible 
})lague." 

Dr.  Tessier  of  Paris,  in  charge  of  an  excellent  Hospital, 
St.  Marguerite,  admits  a  loss  of  forty-eight  or  forty-nine  per 
cent.  (Brit.  Jour.  Horn.  vol.  9,  p.  G93.)  lie  was  after  trans- 
terred  to  another  hospital,  Beaujou,  where  the  mortality  was 
still  greater.     (Vol.  12,  p.  098). 

Dr.  Fleischman  of  Vienna,  has  had  the  largest  hospital 
experience  of  the  Homa3pathic  treatment  of  Cholera.    lie  says  : 


FOURTH   I.KCTUKE.  97 

*'  Every  remedy  wliicli  luis  been  rccomraencled  has  been  tried 
and  tried  again  by  us,  but  I  liave  little  to  say  in  praise  of  any 
of  them."     (Brit.  Jour.  Honucopathy,  vol.  14,  p.  27). 

])r.  Churze,  of  Marseilles,  Ilomoeopathist,  reported  so  fa- 
vorably of  his  success  in  the  treatment  of  Cholera,  in  general 
practice,  in  1S49,  that  he  received  the  order  of  the  Legion  of 
Honor,  and  an  honor  from  the  Pope.  "In  1854  he  was  ap- 
plied to  by  the  Mayor  of  Marseilles,  to  tako  charge  of  two 
Cholera  wards  in  the  Hotel  Dieu.  Patients  were  to  be  sent 
on  alternate  days  to  tlie  Homoeopathic  and  "Allopathic"  wards. 
Dr.  Churze  resigned  his  trust  after  three  reception  days.  Dur- 
ing those  three  days  26  patients  ware  received  and  21  died." 
(Brit.  Jour,  Hom.  vol.  15,  p.  1*73).  It  is  true  Dr.  C.  complained 
of  having  sent  to  him  the  worst  cases.  This  was  denied,  but 
the  facts  as  to  the  mortality  are  not  disputed. 

Thus  do  these  extraordinary  claims  of  success  when  pro- 
perly'tested  come  to  naught. 

Belladonna  in  liomoeopathic  doses  has  been  greatly 
vaunted  as  u  specilic  in  Scarletina,  the  most  wonderful  suc- 
cess being  among  the  standing  references;  but  the  highest 
Homoeopathic  authorities  now  admit  its  total  inefficiency  in  the 
severer  forms  of  the  disease. 

The  celebrate  1  Andral  of  Paris,  years  sim;e,  when  Ilom- 
(i3pathy  was  urging  its  claims,  admitted  some  of  the  most  cel- 
ebrated of  tlie  School  into  his  wards  to  try  the  efficiency  of 
their  treatment,  and  after  a  lair  trial  he  reported  to  the  Acade- 
my of  Medicine  that  in  no  one  case  had  he  witnessed  the  slight- 
est beneficial  effi^ct  from  the  infinitesimals  used. 

The  Russian  Government  is  reported  to  have  had  this 
system  of  treatment  under  trial  for  some  time  past,  and  as  the 
result  of  the  investigation,  the  practice  has  been  prohibited. 
I  have  not  been  able  to  obtain  a  full  and  authentic  account 
of  the  particulars,  but  newsjaaper  reports  are  t  3  this  effect. 

But  the  inquiry  may  still  be  made,  how  a  system  so  des- 
titute of  m3rit  should  have  had  so  much  success  in  its  spread 
among  tlie  people  ?     But  is  a  success,  in  this  sense,  a  proof  of 
merit   or   tratli';'     ^Mohammedanism    is    a  success,    spreading 
13 


08  rOUllTll    LECTURE. 

ovor  the  primitive  scat  of  Christianity.  Monnoiiisiii  is  a  suc- 
cess, and  unless  the  strong  arm  of  our  Government  is  put  forth 
in  time,  it  threatens  the  establishment  oi^  iinado/im  our  midst. 
Modern  Si)iritualism  is  a  success  ;  it  numbers  its  adherents  by 
millions,  Thompsonianisra  and  its  modification  Eclecticism 
in  medicine,  is  a  success,  numbering  more  adherents  to-day  in 
the  country  at  large,  than  Homoeopathy.  Hydropathy  is  a 
success,  sustaining  more  "cures"  in  the  country  than  there 
are  Ilonucopathic  hospitals. 

But  after  all,  if  numerical  success  be  the  test  of  truth  it 
does  not  lie  with  Homoeopathy.  The  system  has  urged  its 
claims  for  the  last  70  years  or  more  ;  Hahnemann  having  an- 
nounced his  doctrine  in  the  latter  part  of  the  lastcentury ;  and 
since  that  time  up  to  1S55,  to  which  the  last  authentic  statistics 
on  the  subject  within  my  reach  are  brought,  at  least  two  genera- 
tions of  medical  men  had  come  on  to  the  stage ;  but  in  Great  Brit- 
ain and  Ireland  in  a  population  of  30,000,000  with  about  30,000 
physians,  (one  medical  man  to  1000  population  being  the  aver- 
age in  all  civilized  countries)  there  were  only  20G  HomcEopaths. 
This  would  make  one  out  of  150  ;  while  the  other  140  vehem- 
ently protest  against  its  truthfulness. 

In  counting  the  Homoeopathic  Physicians  in  the  "  British 
and  Foreign  Homoeopathic  Directory  and  Record,"  for  1853 
and  1855.  there  are  put  down  for  France,  78  ;  for  Spain,  8G; 
for  Italy,  30  ;  for  Austria,  65  ;  for  Russia,  93  ;  for  Saxony,  48. 
From  the  data  before  referred  to,  of  one  physician  to  each 
thousand  people,  it  is  concluded  that  upon  tlie  continent  of 
Europe  there  was  at  that  time  but  one  Homoeopathist  out  of 
about  500  medical  practitioners.  No  great  cltange  has  oc- 
curred there,  in  the  proportion,  since  that  time. 

It  is  computed  that  in  Europe  and  America  about  3,000 
medical  men  are  engaged  as  public  teachers  of  the  Science  of 
Medicine,  in  regular  established  Medical  Schools.  Of  this 
number  not  more  than  thirteen  had  expressed  opinions  in  any 
degree  favorable  to  Homoeopathy — only  one  out  of  about  250  ; 
— while  the  other  249  denounce  it  as  the  greatest  absurdity. 
In  this  country  there  are  about  forty  ^Medical  Colleges  of  the 


FOURTH    LECTUKK.  99 

Regular  School,  employing,  at  least,  about  t'nree  huiidrecl  pro- 
fessors, and]of  all  this  number  not  one  has  ever  expressed  opin- 
ions in  the  least  degree  favorable  to  the  Hahnemannic  System. 
These  certainly  are  enlightened  men  and  must  be  regarded 
as  sincere  in  their  convictions.  They  are  as  well  qualified  as 
any  other  class  of  men  to  judge  of  the  truth  in  such  matters, 
and  their  judgment  is  that  the  whole  thing  is  a  complete  ab- 
surdity. Of  the  comparative  number  of  people  who  patronize 
Regular  Medicine  and  Ilomceopathy,  I  have  no  statistics  which 
will  give  me  a  proximate  estimate,  but  we  all  know  the  pre- 
ponderance is  vastly  in  favor  of  the  Regular  School.  That  it 
makes  a  great  deal  of  noise  and  prevails  to  a  large  extent  in 
certain  places  and  circles,  is  true;  but  when  the  whole  popu- 
lation is  taken  into  the  account  its  numbers  are  comparatively 
insignificant.  The  simile  is  familiar,  of  the  cricket  in  the 
meadow,  making  more  noise  than  a  whole  herd  of  oxen 
quietly  feeding,  or  reposing  upon  its  verdure.  But  should 
that  herd  be  aroused  its  power  Avould  be  felt.  That  cricket 
might  be  silenced.  At  present  it  seems  chirping  on  quite 
briskly.  Is  it  not  time  for  the  regular  profession  to  examine 
this  subject — to  enlighten  the  people  respecting  it, — showing 
them  its  utter  absurdities  and  inconsistences,  and  appealing  to 
them  to  resist  its  aggressions 

We  are  often  accused  of  not  examining  this  subject,  and 
of  prejudice  and  intolerance  in  regard  to  it.  That  we  do  exam- 
ine it,  these  lectures  may  afford  evidence.  Our  prejudices,  if  they 
may  be  so  called,  are  certainly  founded  on  rational  convictions; 
but  how  is  it  possible  to  be  tolerant  of  a  system  so  utterly  ab- 
surd, and  of  men  who  denounce  with  such  bitterness  the  prin- 
ciples to  which  we  adhere,  and  the  fraternity  of  which  we  are 
members  ;  and  yet  in  practice,  repudiating  their  own  pretended 
infallible  dogmas,  so  often  follow  our  methods,  and  use  our 
measures? 

Whatever  views  may  be  entertained  of  their  doctrines  or 
practice,  as  a  system  for  the  sick,  all  must  see  the  necessary 
incompatibility  existing.  Every  impulse  of  a  legitimate  pro- 
fessional pride,  every  sentiment  of  fraternal  allegiance,  every 


JUN  1  0  1997 

100  FOUHTII    l.KCTURE. 

iecliiig  of  soli"  rcsjiert,  ami  every  ))riiic-ij)le  ol"  lienor  impel  us  to 
refuse  professional  associations  with  such  a  system,  and  Avith 
such  men ;  ami  sui^h  associations,  whether  in  the  sick-room,  in 
societies,  or  in  schools  of  medicine,  could  only  result  in  strife, 
discord  and  confusion. 

In  tlie  language  of  Dr.  Kau,  one  of  their  own  highest  au- 
thorities, "  The  principle  of  '  shnilia  simiUhus''  is  tlic  barrier 
whicli  separates  the  New  from  the  Old  School.  It  is  impossi- 
ble to  combine  these  two  Schools  ;  any  such  combination  would 
constitute  a  most  n  iserable  abortion." 

There  are  differences  of  opinion  as  to  the  policy  of  attack- 
ing Homoeopathy,  and,  as  to  that,  much  will  depend  upon  the 
manner  in  which  it  is  done.  I>utthe  policy  which  has  generally 
been  pursued  of  passing  it  by  as  unworthy  of  serious  attention 
has  resulted  in  its  advancing  pretentions,  in  its  assuming  a  bold- 
ness of  front,  which  it  could  not  have  done  had  its  real  merits 
been  more  fully  discussed  before  the  people.  Common  sense  is 
not  extinct, and  would  be  applied  to  medicine  as  to  other  subjects, 
was  there  a  proper  basis  of  knowledge  for  it  to  rest  upon. 
Should  you  not  be  prepared  to  supply  that  basis  ?  15ut 
whether  you  should  say  much  or  little,  or  nothing,  directly  upon 
these  subjects  to  the  people,  there  is  one  means  of  opposing 
false  systems,  and  inspiring  respect  for  Legitimate  Medicine, 
respecting  which  there  can  be  no  question.  This  consists  in 
the  acquiring  of  a  thorough  acquaintance  with  the  domain  ol' 
Science — a  mastery  of  the  i>rofe3sion — in  miintaiiiing  a  high- 
toned  sense  of  honor — a  contempt  for  all  trickery  and  decep- 
tion— and  a:i  enthusiastic  devotion  to  the  s  icre  1  iliit'es  of 
tlie  profession  of  your  choice. 

Those  of  you  present  who  are  medical  students  will  judge 
whether  your  teachers  have  been  inspired  by  feelings  of  parly 
rivalry,  or  a  love  of  the  Truth  in  presenting  you  with  their 
views — with  the  views  taught  by  science,  by  reason  and  by 
common  sense. 

Thanking  you  all,  Gentlemen,  for  the  perfect  order  whieii 
has  prevailed  during  the  delivery  of  these  lectures,  and  the 
close  attention  which  has  been  given  to  all  that  has  been  said; 
— I  wish  you  a  very  Hanpy  New  Year. 


U.  C.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIf 


CD 


SfiblE3L3 


RETURN    BIOSCIENCE  &  NATURAL  RESOURCES  LIBRARY 

TO  ■— ^     2101  VALLEY  LIFE  SCIENCES  BLDG.     642-253" 


LOAN  PERIOD  1 

2 

3 

4 

_5 . 

^St.       <^      &     a 

ONE  MONTH  LOAN 

ALL  BOOKS  MAY  BE  RECALLED  AFTER  7  DAYS 


DUE  AS  STAMPED  BELOW 


hH^ 


1  rtT"^  ^  *  ' 


stfS:Jt 


i'.-  -lir.^ 


!.\/^'-* 


pr-r^"^  - 


^  REO'D  BiUS 


FF619'9Q  jjOo 


p^6  uj-ljooA. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CAUFORNIA,  BERKELEY 

FORM  NO.  DDO,  50m,  1 1/94  BERKELEY,  CA  94720 


